Language

[StasUA]

That is what I am talking about, we must save our countries, culture! Our religion is the only one that haven't changed a bit since its creation!(Orthodox) Our language was not changed, when Mongols,Russians,Turkish,Germans and others attacked us! So let us not lose what we have, and stay what we are, with our culture, even if we're going to be the only ones unchanged. In villages near Russian borders, on both sides, people already speak mutant language, they speak Russian language with some Ukrainian words, or opposite.

[Phillip]

Your too hard on the people who speak Russian/Ukraine it gets them by and so it should. It is a personal thing, as is the culture.

It always keeps changing like John said, so you should look toward the future and not the past. It is much better then keeping old traditions which might be stale if they are no longer relevant.

I am just saying 'go with the flow'

[johnstruthers]

Phil's right. Most of the people east of the Dnieper speak Russian, period. In Sumy Oblast, no one speaks Ukrainian. I never did, my family never did, and if I were there I'd resist someone forcing Ukrainian down my throat. I respect the fact that many people in the country speak Ukrainian. But Russian is "our language" in those parts, period. It's what is spoken. The fact that a portion of the population comes from a different tribe is okay with me. They can speak French or German, if they wished. Russian is the language of choice for a large region. The key word is "choice." What right do those who happened to be born and raised on the western edge have to shove their language down our throats? None. Their language could just as easily been called "Eastern Polish" as "Ukrainian."

Sorry, Stas, I know how much affection you have for the Ukrainian language, and that's very respectable. But it is not the basis for entire Ukrainian culture, which includes the Russified culture of the east.

[Phillip]

WoW,

I've been right alot today.

Makes up for the shocking night I had last night. I didn't like my company so I slipped out and walked home - it took me 2 hours!! I was still drunk when I got home.

[grandma]

John, here in Basque Country the situation is very similar. There was an industrial parts, where Franco send a lot of people from another parts of Spain (from Spain, as Basque people say) to work here. So this people speak Spanish. Traditionally the main language of Bilbao is Spanish. Of course, Basque people don't obligate to speak in their language anybody. But I tell you the procedures to enhance the studying of this language and its use. Basque people understand that if they don't do enything, the Basque language will desappeared. So now people mainly take their children to study in Basque schools or schools with a lot of hours in Basque language, and there are few schools with Spanish only and 2 hour of Basque. Are they doing this becouse they want? Of course, not. But I tried to explain you that without Basque here you haven't the same possibilities. Why in Ukrain isn't possible to do the same? Do you want Russian scholls? Why not! But then to have a good job you will need Ukrain. So it is up to you.

[johnstruthers]

Grandma, something like that sounds like a good approach. The language should be preserved. It should be preserved by those who have the interest.

[grandma]

Of course, John. If you know many years of my life I worked with languages (now too, but now I'm not teaching). So a few people are really interested in languages, and study only because it was a pleasant for them. But the main part study languages becouse it is necessary. So it is necessary to do it necessary, as here are made Basque or in Catalonia their language.