DOCSLIB.ORG

The Position of the Ukrainian Language in Ukraine

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

The Position of the Ukrainian Language in Ukraine Phd Thesis submitted August 1998 School of Slavonic and East European Studies Jennifer Elizabeth Pickurel Taylor ProQuest Number: 10016058 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest. ProQuest 10016058 Published by ProQuest LLC(2016). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 The Position of Ukrainian Language in Ukraine Acknowledgements 2 Synopsis 3 Chapter One; Language Planning and State Languages 4 Chapter Two: Language Planning in Ukraine 38 Chapter Three: Languages and State-building in Ukraine 77 Chapter Four: Media in Ukraine 115 152 Supplement Chapter Five: Education in Ukraine 160 Chapter Six: Beyond politics: Internal Problems of the 190 Ukrainian Language Conclusions: 239 Bibliography: 251 Acknowledgements: I would like to thank first of all my supervisor Jim Dingley for his support, help and encouragement, regardless - not to mention his unparalleled expertise on all matters Ukrainian. I would also like to thank my wonderful husband, my parents, both sets, and Cara, and John, for their support and encouragement. I have also greatly benefited from the support of a lot of super friends both in London and at home in Virginia, especially Emily, Rob and Beate. In Ukraine, a number of very talented and knowledgeable people contributed their expertise and advice, without whom the gathering of much of this material would have been nearly impossible. I am very grateful to Professor Svitlana and Oleksandra Ermolenko, Sergeant First Class Max Duke, Olena, Serhiy and Yaroslav Bekh, Professor O. Taranenko, and Olga Ivashchenko. I would also like to thank Dr Ali Granmayeh, Dr Peter Duncan and Dr Robert Service for their willingness to discuss the subject of my PhD with great patience. I must also thank Taras Kuzio for offering an excellent alternative viewpoint in the form of his book. A note about transcription: There are a number of acceptable means of transcribing or transliterating Ukrainian words into Latin letters, each with certain problems. The system used is generally the British Library system with a few modifications: to distinguish the jotated [i] from the non-jotated [i], a ‘y ’ is used to represent the jot (as in Ukrayina), and a y also appears where there is an ‘i kratkoe. Otherwise, the soft vowels are spelled with an Ï before the vowel letter, as in /de/8. Soft consonants are designated with an apostrophe, and original apostrophes are preserved. Additionally, the names of state organisations and academic bodies have been translated for clarity. Thus, the Akademiia Nauk is referred to as the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and the Instytut Movoznavstva imeni O O Potebni is referred to as the O O Potebnia Institute of Language Studies. The transliterated version of Ukrainian which appears was chosen in place of Cyrillic to facilitate easier reading for those unfamiliar with Ukrainian, or the Ukrainian alphabet. The Position of Ukrainian Language in Ukraine Jennifer Pickurel Taylor, PhD Thesis Before one even begins to discuss language in Ukraine, one basic premise must be understood: there are no easy ansv^ers. One may succeed best in identifying relevant, objective questions instead. This research offers few solutions or predictions concerning the competition between Ukrainian and Russian languages in Ukraine, and the national consciousness of Ukrainians with relation to their language and world view. At this stage in Ukraine’s development, it is more useful to bring all the disparate trends of government language planning policy, social trends and politics into one cohesive body of work for analysis. 5ocio-linguistic5 provides an appropriate and objective methodological framework to discuss both the internal linguistic problems of the language and external social and political problems. This means the analytical viewpoints generally adopted by political science or theoretical linguistics may feature, but are not handled in any depth. Rather, the inter-relationship of language and society is examined in detail using a variety of reference points. These include education in Ukraine, Ukrainian media and the internal and external attempts to regulate the use and content of Ukrainian language. This research is unique in that most of the material here presented has not appeared together in any language, nor separately in English. Furthermore, the approach is a departure from traditional methods of either linguistic or historical study, and does not reflect the political science framework adopted by contemporary scholars. It is thus an attempt to collect subjective diagnostic and corrective work on the language situation in Ukraine, to combine this research with statistical data and to present an objective analysis of the status of the Ukrainian language in Ukraine and its prospects for the future. Chapter 1: Language Planning and State Languages introduction: Contemporary Ukraine is a heterogeneous language community. Its population uses several different languages which reflect ethnic, regional or political loyalties, or all three. Current government policy states that Ukrainian is the sole official language of Ukraine, but after centuries of foreign rule, not everyone speaks enough Ukrainian to use that language in every situation. In order to ensure the undisputed supremacy of Ukrainian language within the boundaries of the Ukrainian state, measures are in force to promote its usage and to discontinue the usage of competing languages in official situations. This policy and its processes can be referred to as language planning. This work intends to investigate the status and usage of Ukrainian language in Ukraine, and evaluate the effectiveness of proposed and already enacted means of improving the perception of Ukrainian and its feasibility for usage in every function necessary in daily life. In Ukraine, despite statistics and studies which show the that number of speakers of Ukrainian has increased, and other indicators of linguistic stability or improvement, many if not most native speakers remain pessimistic, convinced of the impending demise of their mother tongue. Is the situation as bad as one is led to believe? Is Ukraine totally Russified, the Ukrainian language relegated to archaic textbooks and the conversation of ageing dissidents? Is there a political consequence of the demise of Ukrainian that means regional identities will become separatist tendencies, creating a domino effect that brings down the entire country? As the numbers will show, those quick to leap to the defence of political demands made by ethnic Russians, or to support Ukrainians themselves who believe their language is on the verge of extinction, may in fact wish to rethink their position. Though the position of Ukrainian language in Ukraine is far from established as comfortably as English in Britain or French in France, with Ukrainian independence a political fact and the continued presence of international support, one can hardly describe the situation as critical, grim or precarious. As Magocsi asserts. Urbanization, moreover, did not lead, as many Soviet and Western social scientists predicted, to national assimilation. It turned out that the multicultural urban environment was more likely to produce a sharpening than a lessening of ethnocultural awareness. Thus in the same period when Soviet Ukraine’s population grew more urban, the number of persons claiming Ukrainian as their mother tongue continued to increase, from 30 million in 1959 to 37.4 million in 1989. It is also true that among persons who declared Ukrainian to be their nationality, there was a slight decrease in the percentage who claimed Ukrainian as their mother tongue (from 94 to 88 percent between 1959 and 1989). But such trends did not necessarily mean that either the Ukrainian language or he Ukrainian identity was seriously threatened, as the dire predictions of dissident writers and Ukrainian commentators in the West were suggesting.^ Magocsl’s assertion that the Ukrainian nation remains unassimilated and Ukrainian-speaking is demonstrated in recent population statistics and borne out by research. The important question addressed by this work is not, therefore, exactly how bad the situation is. One must ask instead, where are the language planning successes, how do they affect Ukrainian society, and what remains to be done? The approach taken is therefore a sociolinguistic one, in as much that this research examines language behaviour and attitudes as an indicator and a reflection of social behaviour in general. Changes in one cause or reflect changes in the other, and mark Ukraine’s progress towards a more established national identity on the world stage. While ^ Magocsi, (1996), p. 664. one cannot discuss language or society without some mention of linguistics or politics, the emphasis in this research is on the connections between these areas and state-building, all within the framework of language planning. For this reason, neither issues pertaining to political science nor theoretical
Recommended publications
  • Measuring Language Attitudes. the Case of Trasianka in Belarus

    Measuring Language Attitudes. the Case of Trasianka in Belarus

    Measuring language attitudes. The case of Trasianka in Belarus Natallia Sender (Frankfurt/Oder) Abstract In contemporary Belarus there are currently two languages being predominantly used: Russian and Belarusian. Besides dialects and other varieties there is to be found a variety called Trasianka, which is widespread throughout the country. Trasianka can be considered as a variety built of elements from other varieties in Belarus, but mainly from Russian and Belarusian. Originally the term Trasianka stems from agriculture describing a 'mixed fodder of poor quality'. Language attitudes towards this variety have hardly been examined thus far. In a recent study based on the matched-guise technique, 227 Belarusian adolescents listened to and evaluated a female speaker reading the same text in Russian, Belarusian and Trasianka. When the speaker used Trasianka, she was given low ratings by test participants in matters of socio-structural issues such as profession and education. Regarding competence, the test participants assumed that the Trasianka speaker was less qualified, as shown by answers to a question on competencies in foreign languages. Finally, the test participants were more reluctant to accept the Trasianka speaker as a neighbor. With this responsiveness, they performed a bigger social distance. By these findings, there is ample reason to conclude that there are negative attitudes existing amongst today's population in Belarus regarding speakers of Trasianka. 1 Introduction When looking at the contemporary use of East Slavic varieties in Belarus the Russian language seems to be dominant in society at first blush. Russian can be found in state media, in the political area and in the economy.
  • 2. Historical, Cultural and Ethnic Roots1

    2. Historical, Cultural and Ethnic Roots1

    2. HISTORICAL, CULTURAL AND ETHNIC ROOTS1 General features of ethnic identity evolution history, to develop autonomous state structures, in the eastern part of Europe their lives have mostly been determined by out- side forces with diverse geopolitical interests. Differences may be observed between Eastern The uncertain political situation of past cen- and Western Europe in terms of the ethnogenesis turies gave rise – along the linguistic, cultural of the peoples and the development of their eth- and political fault lines – to several ethnic groups nic identity. In the eastern half of the continent, with uncertain identities, disputed allegiances rather than be tied to the confines of a particular and divergent political interests. Even now, there state, community identity and belonging have exist among the various groups overlaps, differ- tended to emerge from the collective memory of ences and conflicts which arose in earlier periods. a community of linguistic and cultural elements The characteristic features of the groups have not or, on occasion, from the collective memory of a been placed in a clearly definable framework. state that existed in an earlier period (Romsics, In the eastern half of Europe, the various I. 1998). The evolution of the eastern Slavic and ethnic groups are at different stages of devel- Baltic peoples constitutes a particular aspect of opment in terms of their ethnic identity. The this course. We can, therefore, gain insights into Belarusian people, who speak an eastern Slavic the historical foundations of the ethnic identity language, occupy a special place among these of the inhabitants of today’s Belarus – an identity groups.
  • Polsko-Białoruska Lapsologia Glottodydaktyczna

    Polsko-Białoruska Lapsologia Glottodydaktyczna

    Katedra Białorutenistyki Wydział Lingwistyki Stosowanej Uniwersytet Warszawski Radosław Kaleta Polsko-białoruska lapsologia glottodydaktyczna Warszawa 2015 Recenzenci Prof. dr hab. Hienadź Cychun (Narodowa Akademia Nauk Białorusi, Centrum Badań nad Kulturą Białoruską, Językiem Białoruskim i Literaturą Białoruską) Prof. dr hab. Ała Kożynawa (Białoruski Uniwersytet Państwowy, Katedra Językoznawstwa Teoretycznego i Słowiańskiego) Prof. UŁ dr hab. Grażyna Zarzycka (Uniwersytet Łódzki, Katedra Lingwistyki Stosowanej i Kulturowej) Nad książką pracowali Projekt graficzny okładki Jekatierina Kaleta Redakcja Magdalena Wanot-Miśtura Korekta Teresa Chylak-Schroeder Korekta tekstu białoruskiego Wolha Starascina Tłumaczenie na język angielski Anna Rędzioch-Korkuz Skład i łamanie Anna Semaniv Książka wydana ze środków Wydziału Lingwistyki Stosowanej Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego Katedra Białorutenistyki Wydział Lingwistyki Stosowanej Uniwersytet Warszawski ul. Szturmowa 4, 02-678 Warszawa www.kb.uw.edu.pl Druk i oprawa: Raphael Sp. z o.o. ul. Traktorzystów 28D, 02-495 Warszawa ISBN 978-83-60951-15-6 © Radosław Kaleta Projekt graficzny okładki Jekatierina Kaleta Redakcja Magdalena Wanot-Miśtura Spis treści Korekta Teresa Chylak-Schroeder Przedmowa autorska 11 Korekta tekstu białoruskiego Wolha Starascina Wstęp 15 Tłumaczenie na język angielski Anna Rędzioch-Korkuz I. Przegląd literatury przedmiotu 27 Skład i łamanie Anna Semaniv 1. Kształtowanie się koncepcji błędu językowego 27 2. Koncepcje teoretyczne i poglądy badaczy 32 2.1. Franciszek Grucza 32 2.2. Witold Cienkowski 36 2.3. Hanna Komorowska 39 2.4. Aleksander Szulc 42 2.5. Grażyna Balkowska 45 2.6. Bożydar L.J. Kaczmarek 46 2.7. Krystyna Chomicz-Jung, Urszula Żydek-Bednarczuk 48 2.8. Ewa Lipińska 49 2.9. Anna Dąbrowska, Małgorzata Pasieka 49 2.10.Ryszard Jedliński 52 3. Słownikowe definicje błędu językowego 56 4.
  • Quiet Revolution? Belarus After the 2006 Presidential Election Elena Korosteleva

    Quiet Revolution? Belarus After the 2006 Presidential Election Elena Korosteleva

    This article was downloaded by: [Korosteleva, Elena] On: 7 July 2009 Access details: Access Details: [subscription number 912935200] Publisher Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713635808 Was There a Quiet Revolution? Belarus After the 2006 Presidential Election Elena Korosteleva Online Publication Date: 01 June 2009 To cite this Article Korosteleva, Elena(2009)'Was There a Quiet Revolution? Belarus After the 2006 Presidential Election',Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics,25:2,324 — 346 To link to this Article: DOI: 10.1080/13523270902861038 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13523270902861038 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.informaworld.com/terms-and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, re-distribution, re-selling, loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.
  • Language Management and Language Problems in Belarus: Education and Beyond

    Language Management and Language Problems in Belarus: Education and Beyond

    Language Management and Language Problems in Belarus: Education and Beyond Markus Giger Institute of the Czech Language, Prague, Czech Republic Maria´n Sloboda Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic This article provides an overview of the sociolinguistic situation in Belarus, the most russified of the post-Soviet countries. It summarizes language policy and legislation, and deals in more detail with language management and selected language problems in Belarusian education. It also contributes to the work on language planning by applying Jernudd’s and Neustupny´’s Language Management Theory, particularly the concept of the language management cycle, to analysis of sociolinguistic issues in Belarus. doi: 10.2167/beb542.0 Keywords: Belarus, bilingual education, language management, language problems Introduction Belarus (or Belorussia/Byelorussia) became independent in 1991 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Its independence was not welcomed with much enthusiasm by the population that had strong emotional and cultural ties with Russia and the Soviet Union. Starting in 1994, this attitude resulted in political changes, which returned the country to the Soviet patterns of government, economy, social life, and linguistic development. The majority of the population of Belarus prefers to use Russian, although they declare to be ethnically Belarusian. Nevertheless, Belarusian is not limited to a minority group, members of the Russian-speaking majority also use it for symbolic functions. The language is still an obligatory subject in all Belarusian schools and has the status of a state language alongside Russian. This situation is a result of sociohistorical processes which have taken place in the Belarusian territory and which we will describe briefly in the Historical Background section.
  • Annus Albaruthenicus 2007 2007

    Annus Albaruthenicus 2007 2007

    ANNUS ALBARUTHENICUS 2007 ГОД БЕЛАРУСКІ 2007 VILLA SOKRATES ANNUS ALBARUTHENICUS 2007 ГОД БЕЛАРУСКІ 2007 ВОСЬМЫ ТОМ Рэдактар САКРАТ ЯНОВІЧ KRYNKI 2007 Выдавецкае афармленьне: ЮРКА ХМЯЛЕЎСКІ Рэцэнзенты: prof. dr hab. Jerzy Tomaszewski prof. dr hab. Antoni Mironowicz Editor: STOWARZYSZENIE VILLA SOKRATES 16-120 KRYNKI POLAND Phone: (+48 – 85) 722 81 44 E-mail: [email protected] Друк: OFFSET-PRINT BIAŁYSTOK © Copyright by Villa Sokrates ISSN 1640-3320 Zrealizowano dzięki dotacji Ministra Spraw Wewnętrznych i Administracji ЗЬМЕСТ – CONTENTS Yury Vashkievich, Metamorphoses of Sovietism..................................................7 Ryszard Radzik, Der weißrussische und tschechische nationsschöpferische Prozess im 19. und zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts: Ähnlichkeiten und Unterschiede............................................................................................29 Aliaksandar Smalianchuk, Belarusian National Idea in the Early Twentieth Century ..........................................................................................................55 Pavel Tserashkovich, Social Preconditions of National Revival of the Peoples in the East of Central Eastern Europe in the 19th – early 20th Centuries (Belarusians, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians)........................69 Miroslav Hroh, Nation as a Product of Social Communication? (Report on the issue of comparison of the Czech and Belarusian „models”) .......... 111 Miloš Řezník, Historische Staatlichkeit und Nationalbewegung: ein weißrussisch-tschechischer
  • Russian Marxism-Leninism and the Non-Russian Nations

    Russian Marxism-Leninism and the Non-Russian Nations

    The Captive Nations TO MRS. C. I. STRALEM IN DEEPEST RESPECf THE CAPTIVE NATIONS Nationalism 0/ the Non-Russian Nations in the Soviet Union Roman Smal-Stocki fr. 9~ .,- Marquette- University With a Pre/ace by LEV E. DOBRIANSKY lnatitute 01 Ethnic Studies Georgetown Un.vemty COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY PRESS New Haven, Connecticut IJat @ 1960 by Boo Library of s Catalog Number: 60-10539 UND EDmON PUBLISHED BY COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY PREss PAPERBAClC DIVISION REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF BOOKMAN TES, INC. MANlJFA IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMElUCA BY lJNITIl:D C IERVlCBI, INC. NEW IIAVD. OONM. Foreword "Uncivilized peoples love liberty, civilized peoples love order, and there can be no order without autocracy ... Autocracy is the soul, the life of Russia," . NICHOLAS JtAJlAMZIN, Father of modem Ruadara hfatoftl (1766-18!8) "I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." THOMAS jD'i'ERSON It is surely not beyond the realm of probability for the United States and the entire Free World to suffer disastrous defeat under the claws of the present Russian Empire. Con­ trary to superficial opinion, the possibility of such a humiliat­ ing outcome does not necessarily imply the precondition of any hot global war. Indeed, on the basis of the history of the past and present Russian Empire, it can be readily shown that the Russian prerequisite for success is the scrupulous avoidance of an out-and-out war, despite characteristic Russian threats of a world-wide holocaust. Thus, if the defeat of the United States should come to pass, it would not be the result of any technologic lag, inadequacy in missile production, backwardness in space exploration, deficiency in conventional arms and men, domes­ tic inflation, or an inability to cope with a fictitious over-all eco­ nomic competition posed by Moscow and its empire.
  • Becoming Soviet: Lost Cultural Alternatives In

    Becoming Soviet: Lost Cultural Alternatives In

    BECOMING SOVIET: LOST CULTURAL ALTERNATIVES IN UKRAINE, 1917-1933 Olena Palko, MA, BA (Hons.) A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of East Anglia School of History December 2016© ‘This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that copyright rests with the author and that use of any information derived there from must be in accordance with current UK Copyright Law. In addition any quotation or extract must include full attribution.’ Abstract This doctoral thesis investigates the complex and multi-faceted process of the cultural sovietisation of Ukraine. The study argues that different political and cultural projects of a Soviet Ukraine were put to the test during the 1920s. These projects were developed and executed by representatives of two ideological factions within the Communist Party of Bolsheviks of Ukraine: one originating in the pre-war Ukrainian socialist and communist movements, and another with a clear centripetal orientation towards Moscow. The representatives of these two ideological horizons endorsed different approaches to defining Soviet culture. The unified Soviet canon in Ukraine was an amalgamation of at least two different Soviet cultural projects: Soviet Ukrainian culture and Soviet culture in the Ukrainian language. These two visions of Soviet culture are examined through a biographical study of two literary protagonists: the Ukrainian poet Pavlo Tychyna (1891-1967) and the writer Mykola Khvyl'ovyi (1893-1933). Overall, three equally important components, contributing to Ukraine’s sovietisation, are discussed: the power struggle among the Ukrainian communist elites; the manipulation of the tastes and expectations of the audience; and the ideological and aesthetic evolution of Ukraine’s writers in view of the first two components.
  • K. Kakareko.Pdf

    K. Kakareko.Pdf

    Ksenia KAKAREKO Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza, Poznañ To¿samoœæ Bia³orusinów ojêcie to¿samoœci, w rozumieniu filozoficznym, definiowane jest jako P„relacja miêdzy ka¿dym przedmiotem a nim samym, tzn. ka¿dy przed- miot jest to¿samy (identyczny) z samym sob¹. Poczucie to¿samoœci to po- czucie bycia sob¹, pomimo zmian zachodz¹cych w czasie”1. W literaturze na gruncie filozofii podkreœla siê, ¿e to¿samoœæ nigdy nie jest dana, przyjêta lub osi¹gniêta, a jest jedynie niekoñcz¹cym siê procesem2. W ujêciu fi- lozoficznym, to¿samoœæ to zespó³ wzajemnie powi¹zanych cech, które jednostka przepisuje sobie samej. Pojêcie to¿samoœci wystêpuje tutaj w kontekœcie relacji cz³owieka do siebie oraz do innych ludzi, a zarazem do kultury i tradycji. W tradycji socjologicznej, teoria to¿samoœci wi¹¿e siê z interakcjonizmem symbolicznym w ujêciu Georga Herberta Meada3. We wspó³czesnej socjologii trudno mówiæ o istnieniu jasnego pojêcia to¿- samoœci. Pojêciem tym pos³uguj¹ siê badacze w szeroki i swobodny spo- sób w odniesieniu do czyjegoœ poczucia jaŸni, czyichœ uczuæ i pogl¹dów, dotycz¹cych jego samego (w tym znaczeniu mowa o to¿samoœci p³ci lub to¿samoœci klasowej)4. Czasami uwa¿a siê, ¿e to¿samoœæ jest pochodn¹ oczekiwañ przypisanych do ról spo³ecznych lub ¿e konstruujemy to¿sa- moœci w sposób aktywny, korzystaj¹c z materia³ów, z którymi mamy kon- takt w toku socjalizacji5. 1 A. Podsiad, A. Wiêckowski, Ma³y s³ownik terminów i pojêæ filozoficznych, Warszawa 1983, s. 217. 2 J. Derida, Jednojêzycznoœæ innego czyli proteza oryginalna, „Literatura na Œwiecie” 1998, nr 11/12, s.
  • The Future of the Belarusian Language: Is It Doomed to Extinction? 15

    The Future of the Belarusian Language: Is It Doomed to Extinction? 15

    The future of the Belarusian language: is it doomed to extinction? 15 Viktoria Komorovskaya Uniwersytet Warszawski The future of the Belarusian language: is it doomed to extinction? Controversies and challenges in the language maintenance and revitalization Abstract The article analyses the controversial bilingual situation in Belarus. Although Belarusian is an officially recognised mother tongue and the titular language of the state, it is also a minority language viewed as endangered due to the discriminating language policies and general population’s indifference. This article reveals the discrepancies between the declared national identity and linguistic behaviour of Belarusians. Furthermore, it investigates the gaps in the language management policies and the obstacles in reversing the language decline. Finally, it attempts to predict the future development of Belarusian and concludes that the language shift requires a change in nation’s attitude and groundbreaking political reforms. 1. Introduction Belarusian is an official language of Belarus, and it is considered as a mother tongue, a symbol of ethnic identity and cultural belonging by the majority of its population. Yet it is running the risk of extinction due to a controversial linguistic situation in the country. On the one hand, it is the titular language of Belarus, an acknowledged Slavic language formed during the medieval times. On the other hand, despite be- ing declared a mother tongue and the co-official state language, it is stigmatised and referred to as a minority or “a back-country language” (Basch, 1998, p. 235) that has been viewed as endangered (Rzetelska-Feleszko, 1997). This article has a threefold aim. First, it intends to provide a brief historical overview of the sociolinguistic situ- ation in Belarus and its impact on the current linguistic and ethnic characteristics of the Belarusian population.
  • Witnessing Change in Contemporary Russia

    Witnessing Change in Contemporary Russia

    Tomi Huttunen and Mikko Ylikangas (ed.) Witnessing Change in Contemporary Russia Kikimora Publications Series B 38 1 WITNESSING CHANGE IN CONTEMPORARY RUSSIA Witnessing Change in Contemporary Russia ISBN 978-952-10-5153-1 ISSN 1455-4828 © Aleksanteri Institute and the authors WS Bookwell 2010 2 Contents Russian Studies in Finland 5 Arto MustaJoki The Political System in Contemporary Russia 11 Markku KIVinen Contours of External and Internal in EU-Russia Relations 21 Hiski HaukkaLA, VaDim Kononenko, Katri PynnÖniemi anD Sinikukka Saari Integration of the Russian Economy with the European Union 56 Kari E.O. ALho Corporate Governance in Russia 89 EVA LILJEBLOM AND BeNJAMIN MAURY Diabetes Associations and Political Culture in St. Petersburg and Helsinki 107 Risto ALapuro Media as a Mirror of Change 136 KaarLE NorDenstreng anD Jukka PietiLÄinen The Swamp of Texts: Literary Mythology of St. Petersburg Revisited 159 Tomi Huttunen anD Pekka Pesonen 3 WITNESSING CHANGE IN CONTEMPORARY RUSSIA Peculiarities in Doing Public Health Research in Russia 184 ELina Hemminki, Meri LariVaara, Tatiana Dubikaytis, Mika GissLer, Anna Rotkirch anD OLga KUZnetsoVA ‘The First Child is the Fruit of Love’ – On the Russian Tradition of Early First Births 201 ANNA ROTKIRCH AND KATJA KeSSelI Russian Health in Transition 221 PauLiina AarVA anD ILkka PietiLÄ Geography and the Economic Evolution of the Russian North 250 Markku TykkyLÄinen Holding Companies and Business Integration in the Russian Forest Industry Sector 284 Anna-MaiJA MatiLainen Measuring Particulate Air Pollutants in a Moving Train across the Russian Territory 307 VeLI-Matti Kerminen, EIJA Asmi, Sanna Kuokka, Miikka DaL Maso, Kimmo TeiniLÄ, Risto HILLamo anD Markku KULmaLA Lessons from the ENSINOR Interdisciplinary Research Project 317 Bruce C.
  • Transmesis in Slavic Literary Postmodernism

    Transmesis in Slavic Literary Postmodernism

    Transmesis in Slavic Literary Postmodernism: Understanding Translation through Fiction by Roman Ivashkiv A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Slavic Languages and Literatures Department of Modern Languages and Cultural Studies University of Alberta ©Roman Ivashkiv, 2015 ii Abstract This dissertation examines the phenomenon of transmesis — the mimesis or portrayal of translation in fiction — in three postmodernist novels in Ukrainian and Russian and their English translations: Yuri Andrukhovych’s Perverziia (translated by Michael Naydan), Serhiy Zhadan’s Depesh Mod (translated by Myroslav Shkandrij), and Viktor Pelevin’s Generation “П” (translated by Andrew Bromfield). My objective is to explore the use and identify the purposes of transmesis in fiction, to investigate issues of untranslatability to which it gives rise, and to identify the implications of transmesis for translation theory and practice. Transmesis, a term coined by Thomas Beebee, stands for the representation in fiction of translation, both as a process and a product, as well as for the portrayal of the figure of the translator in a fictional text. In a larger historico-theoretical framework, the concept of transmesis stands at the juncture of the so-called cultural and fictional turns in translation studies. While the former has been pivotal in expanding our understanding of translation as a cultural rather than merely a linguistic act, the latter has unraveled the potential of fictional portrayals of translation,