However, there is a current argument that the Lithuanian language was considered non-prestigious enough by some elements in Lithuanian society, and a preference for the Polish language in certain territories of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, as well as a preference for the German language in territories of the former East Prussia (now Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia) caused the number of Lithuanian speakers to decrease.
Imidlertid er der fremsat argumenter om at det litauiske sprog ikke var agtet i dele af samfundet, og at det polske sprog blev foretrukket i visse områder af den polsk-litauiske realunion samt at tysk blev foretrukket i områder af det tidligere Østpreussen (nu Kaliningrad Oblast af Rusland), hvilket medførte at antallet af litauisk-talende faldt.