Pieniądze vs. dziengi

[Kalaus]

I have never heard the word "dziengi" used by my Polish in-laws (who live in Lithuania), always "pieniądze". But today I came across the word in Mickiewicz's poem Trzech Budrysów:

Jeden z waszych biec musi za Olgierdem ku Rusi,
Ponad Ilmen, pod mur Nowogrodu;
Tam sobole ogony i srebrzyste zasłony,
I u kupców tam dziengi jak lodu.

Is "dziengi" a borrowing from Russian?
Why did Mickiewicz use the word "dziengi" rather than "pieniądze"? What was the difference in meaning/usage at that time?
What is the difference in meaning/usage between the two words in modern Polish?

Thanks!

 

[Drakonica]

Is "dziengi" a borrowing from Russian?

I think so.
The Polish etymological dictionary from 1929 derives it: from
Russian: diengi <- Kyrgyz: tenge <- Persian: tanga
Słownik etymologiczny języka polskiego/dziengi - Wikiźródła, wolna biblioteka

Why did Mickiewicz use the word "dziengi" rather than "pieniądze"?

Maybe he needed two syllables?

What was the difference in meaning/usage at that time?

I don't know.

What is the difference in meaning/usage between the two words in modern Polish?

It's a slang term. Probably more popular in the 80-90s. I haven't heard it for a long time, but Polish urban dialect dictionaries note this word.

 

[Kalaus]

Thank you, Drakonica!

 

[Ben Jamin]

Maybe he needed two syllables

Maybe he wanted to give some "local" Lithuanian sound ("Lithuanian" in Mickiewicz time did not mean the same as today. Many subjects of Lithuanian dukes spoke Ruthenian, and took part in the plunder raids).

 

[Kalaus]

Maybe he wanted to give some "local" Lithuanian sound ("Lithuanian" in Mickiewicz time did not mean the same as today. Many subjects of Lithuanian dukes spoke Ruthenian, and took part in the plunder raids).

Thanks, Ben Jamin, that really might be what he was going after!