Interesting facts about the Ukrainian language

Today, on the occasion of International Mother Language Day, we present you with interesting facts about the Ukrainian language.

First of all, it should be clearly emphasised that it is completely wrong to label the Ukrainian language as a dialect of Russian, as this is not true. Ukrainians understand the Russian language due to long-term colonial pressure, not because the languages ​​are very similar.

Ukrainian is an independent Slavic language with its own phonetic, grammatical and lexical characteristics. It is closer to Belarusian and Polish than to Russian, and has preserved many archaic European features.

The Ukrainian language is often described as one of the most melodic languages ​​in Europe, thanks to the combination of vowels, the alternation of sounds and the small number of difficult-to-pronounce consonant clusters.

It is one of the richest languages ​​in terms of diminutive forms. This is not a stylistic feature, but a full-fledged part of grammar.

Ukrainian has an uninterrupted written tradition spanning over 1,000 years. From old texts of the 11th century (for example, birch charters) to the modern literary language, it developed evolutionary, not "from scratch".

It also has a very extensive vocabulary. According to linguists, Ukrainian has more than 250,000-300,000 words, not counting dialect expressions and professional terminology, and ranks 2nd among Slavic languages ​​in terms of the number of words, right after Polish.

The share of borrowed words in Ukrainian is relatively low:

•10–15% — borrowed words

•85–90% — own Slavic and Old Ukrainian vocabulary.

The main sources of borrowing:

- Polish, Latin (law, culture)

- German (crafts, cities)

- Greek (church, philosophy)

- French (everyday life, fashion)

- English (modern terminology).

Most of the borrowed words are terms, not basic vocabulary.

Myths and facts about the Ukrainian language

Myth: Ukrainian is a dialect of Russian

Fact: Ukrainian is an independent Slavic language with its own phonetics, grammar, and vocabulary. It developed in parallel with other East Slavic languages, not as a branch of Russian.

Myth: Ukrainian and Russian are almost identical

Fact: About 40% of the basic vocabulary differs. In addition, there are differences in pronunciation, accents, word formation, and syntax. This is a greater difference than between some Western European languages.

Myth: Ukrainian is a “young” language

Fact: Written monuments with Ukrainian linguistic features are known from the 11th–12th centuries. The literary norm was codified in the 19th century, as with most European languages.

Myth: Ukrainian has few words

Fact: Ukrainian is among the three Slavic languages ​​with the largest recorded vocabulary (approximately 250,000–300,000 words, taking into account dictionaries, dialects and terminology), which are Polish, Ukrainian and Czech.

Myth: Most Ukrainian words are borrowed

Fact: Borrowed words account for approximately 10–15%. 85–90% of the vocabulary is of native Slavic origin. For comparison: in Russian, the share of borrowed words is higher — around 25%.

Myth: Ukrainian is not suitable for science and technology

Fact: Ukrainian has a fully developed terminology in medicine, law, IT and engineering.

Myth: Ukrainian is a “peasant” language

Fact: Historically, philosophical, scientific, legal and literary works were written in Ukrainian; the restrictions on its use were political, not linguistic.

10 Facts About Russian Bans on the Ukrainian Language

1. 1720 - Ban on Ukrainian Books

Peter I's decree required that books be printed in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra exclusively "according to the Great Russian model," effectively banning the Ukrainian version of the church and secular language.

2. 1769 - The Russian Orthodox Church banned the printing and use of Ukrainian primers — a severe blow to primary education.

3. 1863 - Valuyev's Circular

The Russian Empire officially banned most books in the Ukrainian language. The famous statement: "There wasn't, is not, and cannot be a separate Little Russian language."

4. 1876 - Emsky Decree

The strictest ban: printing books in Ukrainian, theater, poetry, and public readings were banned, as was the import of Ukrainian books from abroad.

5. Ban on the Ukrainian language in schools (19th century)

After the Emsky Decree, Ukrainian was completely removed from education in the empire; teaching was allowed only in Russian.

6. The beginning of the USSR: a short "Ukrainization", then its abolition. In the 1920s, the policy of Ukrainization was temporary. Already in the early 1930s, Ukrainian was massively ousted from the administration and education.

7. 1930s - repressions against linguists

Many Ukrainian linguists, writers and teachers were killed or repressed in the USSR. This interrupted the natural development of the language (the so-called "executed Renaissance").

8. Russification of education in the USSR

In 1958-1959, a mass forced transition of Ukrainian schools to Russian took place.

9. Ban on Ukrainian in the military and state institutions

In the USSR, Ukrainian was not allowed as a language of command, official business, or science at the federal level.

10. Modern Russia - denial of the linguistic independence of Ukrainian

At the official level in the Russian Federation, Ukrainian is often presented as a "dialect", and in the occupied territories, Ukrainian textbooks are removed and education in Ukrainian is prohibited.

These facts have been documented by international human rights organizations since 2014.

Despite centuries-old attempts to destroy the Ukrainian language and national identity, the Ukrainian people live, develop, and carefully preserve their culture and language.

Glory to Ukraine!