Res Humanitariae

The main objective of this study is to describe the main characteristics of the Spanish interlanguage of a group of Lithuanian learners, as well as to establish differences in the evolution of the interlanguage among learners of the basic and advanced levels. Four main types of errors will be studied: morphosyntactic, lexical, phonetic and orthographic, using linguistic and statistical criteria and trying to offer as complete analysis as it is possible, both in the descriptive plan and in explaining the hypotheses about the cause of the errors. The purpose is to get data for improving the teaching methodology and for creation of specific materials for teaching Spanish, aimed at native speakers of Lithuanian.

The article analyzes the links between the hymnals of Prussian Lithuanians (M. Mažvydas, B. Vilentas, A. F. Šimelpenigis and others) and local German publications until 1750. It is assumed that the Prussian Lithuanians prepared their official hymns by using books relied on indigenous Germans. The main conclusion was that Prussia and all diferent national groups had a common treasure of hymns, which could be freely adjusted and supplemented.

The analysis of the pre-Christian Baltic culture, in the centre of which there is a pagan religious logic, reveals the issue of credibility of its records. Therefore, the article attempts to review and to verify mythical material directly related to fir tree and pear tree, described by Matthaeus Praetorius (Matthäus Prätorius) in his manuscript “Deliciae Prussicae or Prussian Theater” (Deliciae Prussicae, oder Preussische Schaubühne, the end of the17th century). In parallel with this, the article discusses interpretations by more significant researchers of the 19th–21st centuries who were concerned with Praetorius’s mythical material on fir tree and pear tree. The context of the researches of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries has shown that the researchers of earlier periods did not consider the question of reliability of Matthaeus Praetorius’s mythical material. The present research also allowed to trace the varying tendency of reliability of Praetorius’s described mythical data directly related to fir tree and pear tree.

The appearance of portrait miniature is traditionally dated back to the 16th century when the miniature became a portrait genre. The Reformation processes occurring in Europe at the time also influenced the genesis of forms, technique and style of portrait miniatures. This paper focuses on the factors (related to the Reformation) which affected the formation of new images embodied in H. Holbein’s and N. Hilliard’s works. The rise of the portrait miniature as a new type of portrait, its features, and uniqueness of its properties are explained through the study of certain political, social, and cultural aspects of the Reformation movement in the context of English art.

The Tėviškė (Homeland) Society for Lithuania’s cultural relations with compatriots abroad was set up in Soviet Lithuania in 1976 on the basis of previous analogous institutions. Through the society, attempts were made to control the cooperation with emigrant compatriots, disseminate the Soviet propaganda, restrict the spread of objective information, and discredit the right-wing emigration organizations that nurtured the idea of restoration of Lithuania’s independence. The aim of this paper is to review the programme of cultural exchanges with emigrants in the USA, implemented in the Soviet times, by highlighting the musical aspect. The research is based on the Cold War paradigm, the work of historians who analysed the topic, the still unexplored documentation of the Tėviškė Society, and the letters addressed to it and currently stored in the Lithuanian Special Archives. The cultural cooperation programme also included the field of tourism, which was especially useful for governmental institutions wishing to demonstrate the achievements of Soviet Lithuania to foreign visitors. It was partly supervised by the Tėviškė Society. However, this is a subject for a new study and will not be analysed in the present paper.

The main aim of this scientific research is the need for a detailed elaboration and introduction into scientific circulation materials of archbishop who was a tireless researcher – Filaret (Gumilevsky). The analysis of his scientific and popular scientific heritage is seen through the prism of his life. The article shows how his pastoral work seamlessly combined with a deep understanding of the importance of popularizing knowledge of ethnology. Great part of the information which was presented on the pages of the diocesan newspaper later will be the basis of a thorough seven volume work “Historical and statistical description of Chernigov eparchy” (1873–1876), and was written by Filaret.

The article examines the transformation and modification of the image of Sofia in the sories of poems cycle by Alexander Blok “Verses about the Beautiful Lady” and the collection of poms by Andrei Bely “Gold in Azure”. The author shows that the image of Sophia Celestial is represented in the works of poets-symbolists at all levels of religious and poetic consciousness, viz. at religious and mystical, ordinary and philosophical ones. It is noted that the image of Sophia, borrowed by the young symbolists from the philosophy of V. Solovyov, is associated in the poetry of A. Blok with the cult of Eternal femininity, and in the creativity of A. Belyy – with solar symbolism.