ADVERTISEMENT
Support independent journalism in Ukraine! Subscribe today to the Kyiv Post...
Posted by Neptune on December 02, 2005 at 02:22:34:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Linguistic preferences... posted by Alex on December 02, 2005 at 00:24:29:
You are either naive or delusional. If you perceive Ireland to be multi-lingual because Irish (Gaelic) and English exist side by side, then you miss the point. Gaelic may be spoken and cultivated because of national pride, but it's usage is not on the same level as English. The obvious historical reasons parallel to some extent those in Ukraine (i.e. dominant neighboring state). Although Ukraine was able to maintain its native language more successfully than Ireland, unlike the English-speaking Irish who remain essentially nationally-oriented, many of the Russian-speakers are locally-oriented (Donetske, Kharkiv, Luhanske, Odesa)), extra-territorial (Slavic or Russian union) with a political cultural or religious agenda and some are vehemently opposed to the concept of an independent Ukrainian political state, view it as a nationalistic "banderite" entity.
What is indeed laughable is the crocodile tears in some quarters regarding the "persecution" of Russian language and culture in Ukraine. All one has to do is turn on a television to see how transparent these claims are, or walk into a bookstore and scan the book shelves, or pop into a movie house for just five minutes, or turn on a car radio. It wouldn't take you very long to determine which language and culture in Ukraine is suffering.
So the Russian liberals and Kremlin cronies accept the multi-lingual and multi-cultural character of Russia. Tell me when these Russian liberals shop at a store or visit a government office in Tatarstan, South Ossetia, Bashkiria and Ichkeria what language do they expect the clerk or official to use? Perhaps the state language? Can someone expect any less in Ukraine? Hopefully, one would not need the Latvian or Lithuanian model (or a Soviet model for that matter). But it is not the Russian language or culture that is under threat of extinction in Ukraine.