Petras Būtėnas (27 June 1896 – 4 October 1980) was a Lithuanian linguist and public figure.[1] His work was very important in the research of Lithuanian culture.[2]

This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (February 2022)

Petras Būtėnas
Petras Būtėnas in 1922, as a student at the University of Lithuania
Born	27 June 1896 Dovydai [lt], Joniškėlis parish [lt], Russian Empire
Died	4 October 1980 Boston, United States
Burial place	Toronto, Canada. Reburried in Panevėžys in 1996.
Nationality	Lithuanian
Academic background
Alma mater	Vytautas Magnus University

Early life

He had a younger brother Julijonas Būtėnas [lt].[1]

Interwar

From 1919 to 1923, he was a volunteer soldier of the Lithuanian Army.[1] Since 1920, he studied at the Higher Courses [lt] and since 1922 in the University of Lithuania.[1] In 1930, Būtėnas graduated from Vytautas Magnus University.[1] He was a student of Kazimieras Būga, Jonas Jablonskis and Juozas Balčikonis.[1] From 1925 to 1944, Būtėnas worked as a teacher in Panevėžys.[1] He taught in the town's teachers' seminary until 1936.[1] Since 1939, he was a member of the Lithuanian Catholic Academy of Science.[1]

World War II

The Soviet authorities imprisoned Būtėnas from July 1940 to January 1941 in the Panevėžys Prison.[1] Together with others, he published the weekly Išlaisvintasis panevėžietis ('The liberated Panevėžian') in 1941.[1]

During 1941–1944, he was the director of Panevėžys Boys' Gymnasium.[1] He left for Germany in 1944.[1]

In emigration

He organized courses for Lithuanian teachers and lead those courses in 1945–1948.[1] In 1946, he prepared a summary for the Lithuanian language teachers' courses and gymnasium.[1] From 1945 to 1948, he edited the newspaper Lietuvių informacija ('Lithuanian information'), and in 1946–1948, the magazine Žingsniai ('Steps').[1] Būtėnas moved to the US in 1949.[1] He worked in the newspaper Keleivis ('Passenger') and in the editorial office of the Lithuanian Encyclopedia.[1]

Academic work

Būtėnas researched Lithuanian dialects [lt], accentuation and ancient ethnically Lithuanian territories.[1] He contributed to the preparation of the Lietuvių kalbos žodyno ('Dictionary of the Lithuanian Language'), in which he wrote down more than 8,000 words.[1] He collected folklore and prepared Lietuvių tautotyros žinių ir senienų rinkimo programą ("Lithuanian Ethnography Knowledge and Antiquities Collection Program") in 1925.[1] Būtėnas collected material for the research of old Lithuanian toponymy.[1]

Bibliography

Books

• Kirčio ir priegaidės žinios (1926)
• Trumpas linksnių mokslas praktiškam lietuvių kalbos reikalui (1929)
• Lietuvių kalbos prielinksnių mokslas teorijai ir praktikai (1930)
• Priežodžio ir patarlės gyvenimas (1930)
• Lietuvių kalbos akcentologijos vadovėlis mokyklai ir gyvenimui (1931)
• Augštaičių tarmės akuojančios pašneklės sienos (1932)

Awards

• 1935 – 4th Class of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas.[1]

References

Sources

• Lapinskienė, Lionė (2003). "Petro Būtėno "Lietuvių tautotyros žinių ir senienų rinkimo programa"" (PDF). Liaudies kultūra (in Lithuanian). 1: 44–53.
• Zinkevičius, Zigmas (2003). "Petras Būtėnas". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija. Vol. III (Beketeriai-Chakasai). Vilnius: Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos institutas.