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Archiver > LITHUANIA > 2003-06 > 1054835593


From: David Zincavage <>
Subject: [LITHUANIA-L] Fw: Kolwzan
Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2003 10:53:20 -0700


----- Original Message -----
From: "Leon Stevens" <>
To: <>
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 7:39 AM
Subject: RE: Kolwzan


> When I made my comment about possible Karaite origin of "Kolwzan," I was
> unaware of Tadeusz Kolwzan's excellent article. (I usually assume that
> inquirers have already conducted a Google search of the Web.) However,
> having read the piece, and noting the antiquity of the family (in
> Lithuania), I also now doubt any Jewish or Karaite connection (although
> truth being too often stranger than fiction, I can't absolutely rule
> anything out). I would agree with Mr. Hoffman, that the "l" is probably
> original to the surname, because in the east, this "l" has historically
> and consistently been pronounced with a curling of the tongue, unlike
> modern Polish "l/," which for at least 4 centuries has been pronounced
> like English "w" with no articulation of the tongue. In the east,
> rounding of the lips occurs before "o" and not after, as it does in
> English, and I know of no instance where this rounding is represented
> phonemically in any Slavic language. It certainly wouldn't have been
> represented by modern Polish "l/."
> Unfortunately, (Tadeusz) Kolwzan relies on Paprocki as his primary
> source of ancient information. He doesn't seem to have access to
> Boniecki, because he adds a "?" after Boniecki's name in his references.
> He suggests that the use of the Traby arms by the Kolwzans dates to just
> after the Horodlo treaty, however as Semkowicz explains in a superb
> series of articles (recently sent to me by Mr. Zincavage), not all or
> even most Polish-looking arms were introduced to the Grand Duchy at
> Horodlo, nor are they necessarily even indigenously Polish, in spite of
> family speculations assertions to the contrary.
>
>
>

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