Explain Ukraine

Posts: language

How has the Ukrainian language been oppressed?

For centuries, the Ukrainian language and culture have been systematically suppressed and banned—...

What is the meaning behind the lyrics of Carol of the Bells?

The original "Shchedryk" song in Ukrainian has lyrics, which differ significantly from the much l...

Why do many Ukrainians speak Russian?

Many Ukrainians speak Russian and even consider it their native language. Abroad, it is also comm...

Where can you take a Ukrainian language course?

After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, interest in the Ukrainian language has gro...

Is Ukrainian a dialect of Russian?

In short — no, that is untrue. The myth that Ukrainian is merely a dialect of Russian was invente...

How old is the Ukrainian language?

Most scholars believe that Ukrainian emerged around the middle of the 1st millennium CE, after th...

Ukrainians as the “Younger Brothers” of Russians: Who Created This Myth and Why Does It Still Survive?

The myth of Ukrainians as the “younger brothers” of Russians emerged during the times of the Musc...

Linguistic Discrimination in Ukraine: Fact or Political Tool?

The issue of language and language policy in Ukraine has remained the subject of heated debate fo...

What is Surzhyk?

Surzhyk is a form of speech that blends elements of Ukrainian and Russian (the original meaning o...

Why Does the Ukrainian Language Use the Russian Alphabet?

This question is fairly common: Why does the Ukrainian language use the Russian alphabet? The sho...

Why "Rus" is not "Russia," and "Ruskyi" is not "Russian"?

In many languages, including English, the Ukrainian words "ruskyi" (a historical term) and "rosiy...