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Borys Kosarev: Modernist Kharkiv, 1915-1931 at The Ukrainian Museum thru May 2, 2012
Posted by lesia on August 30, 2000 at 16:46:58:
In Reply to: Re: Language/Schools re. Bohdan posted by Bohdan Oryshkevich on August 30, 2000 at 08:44:37:
I agree with you, Bohdan. The language and it`s future, also a future of Ukraine is only a thing of Ukrainians.
But I repeit you that another people had these problems. Catalonian people didn`t forget their language, never, even during the dictatorship in Spain. The intelligentzia was speaking Catalonian. So the situation is similar to Western Ukraine. Now near all schools, Universities are Catalonians, everybody in Catalonia must to know this language.
The situation in Basque Country was like in Kiev. The language was treated as something rural, some people didn`t want to speak in it. The intelligentzia was speaking Franch or Spanish. Now a few schools in Spanish part of Basque country are in Spanish language, and every year there are more and more Basque schools. In France they haven`t this quantity, but also there are more and more Basque schools. If you want to work in state offices, you must have a very good level of Basque language. So, if this people save their language (rural, forgotted, etc.), why we can`t? But it is vital to have a good TV in Ukrainian, a good music, a good books, a good Internet. And the Government must support all these. And the Diaspora can help in this. It`s an interesting thing - we are speaking English...
: I agree with you a hundred percent.
: First I did state that Kyiv is a Ukrainian language speaking city. But it is only one of two in the top ten. But using the Ukrainian language at home is not the same thing as using it all the time. Try using English in Quebec City or Russian in Tallinn.
: Second the Diaspora has done nothing with reference to the Ukrainian language. But Ukraine is not its country. The Diaspora may be relatively prosperous but its members are old and the young are almost totally assimilated. In fifty years George Shevelov, the pre-eminent Professor of the Ukrainian language at Columbia University did not train one scholar (from the Diaspora) of the Ukrainian language to continue his work. The Diaspora used to call him a Russian because he originated from Kharkiv. I can cite multiple cases of fundamental disrespect of the Ukrainian language within the so-called Diaspora. But many in the New Wave want to assimilate and forget Ukrainian as soon as possible. It is perfectly obvious from my work with them.
: I work with students from central, eastern, southern, and Crimean Ukraine. They have in the vast majority learned Ukrainian but they do not use it. I have worked with Lviv and Kyiv students in the past also.
: The knowledge of Ukrainian has increased perhaps since independence but there is no information even on that. Its use seems to have actually decreased during that time. I would like to know the relative circulations of newspapers such as Day (Den), etc. What do the kiosks in Kyiv display or the bookstores. Which TV shows are the most popular. What Ukrainian language movie has made it? What language does Andriy Shevchenko speak to his fans? If one wanted to address teenagers in Kyiv or in Kharkiv about the danger of AIDS which language would one use?
: Ukrainians equate intellectual and analytical thought with being Russian. That is a fundamental weakness. That automatically means that all science and business and commentary should be in Russia. Now that is a major concession. Let us sing kry kry kry endlessly and all problems will be solved. Let us believe and everyone will speak Ukrainian
: Bohdan Oryshkevich
: usa.usa@attglobal.net