Interferenza basso-tedesca nei testi lettoni antichi: l’espressione della (in)definitezza

In this paper I briefly analyse how the categories of definiteness and indefiniteness are expressed in Old Latvian (16th–17th cent.). It is well known that the first texts written in this language were mostly translations from Middle Low German. After pointing out the differences between the strategies adopted in Old and in Modern Standard Latvian, I recall the systematic correspondence between the Old Latvian constructions and their German sources. Taking into account the sociolinguistic context of these documents, the diachronic evolution of such constructions, and the theory of grammaticalisation, it is possible to conclude that the use of the numeral ‘1’ as a marker of indefiniteness in Old Latvian reflects the interference of Middle Low German. On the other hand, the use of demonstratives as markers of definiteness remains under debate.