▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century , ▁while ▁the ▁minor ▁rural ▁nobles ▁remained ▁b iling ual ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁period ▁when ▁the ▁question ▁of ▁language ▁related - n ational ity ▁appeared . ▁ ▁The ▁Lith uan ian ▁nobles ▁did ▁preserve ▁their ▁national ▁aw aren ess ▁as ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Grand ▁Duch y , ▁and ▁in ▁most ▁cases ▁recognition ▁of ▁their ▁Lith uan ian ▁family ▁roots ; ▁their ▁leaders ▁would ▁continue ▁to ▁represent ▁the ▁interests ▁of ▁the ▁Grand ▁Duch y ▁of ▁Lith u ania ▁in ▁the ▁General ▁se jm ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁royal ▁court . ▁ ▁Lith uan ian ▁language ▁was ▁used ▁during ▁Ko ści usz ko ▁U pr ising ▁in ▁the ▁pro clam ations ▁calling ▁to ▁rise ▁up ▁For ▁our ▁freedom ▁and ▁yours . ▁And ▁Lith uan ian ▁nobles ▁did ▁rise ▁to ▁fight ▁for ▁the ▁independence ▁of ▁their ▁nation . ▁ ▁After ▁partitions ▁of ▁the ▁Polish – L ith uan ian ▁Commonwealth ▁▁ ▁In ▁Lith u ania ▁proper , ▁the ▁Pol on ization ▁of ▁the ▁nob ility , ▁gent ry ▁and ▁town spe ople ▁was ▁pract ically ▁complete ▁by ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁re leg ating ▁the ▁Lith uan ian ▁language ▁to ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁a ▁pe asant ▁tongue . ▁The ▁processes ▁of ▁Pol on ization ▁and ▁Russ ification ▁were ▁partially ▁revers ed ▁with ▁the ▁Lith uan ian ▁National ▁Rev ival . ▁Despite ▁orig ins ▁from ▁mostly ▁the ▁non - no ble ▁classes , ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁nobles ▁re - emb rac ed ▁their ▁Lith uan ian ▁roots .