Russian language

[nickcsadler]

For many Ukrainians Russian IS their mother tongue are you suggesting they MUST change that??

[sjoyce]

I am sure you know enough about history to know why the Donetsk area speaks Russian. Thanks to Mr. Stalin and his fine group of people who somehow did not believe in John 3/16. He wanted the land badly enough to murder 7 million Ukranian people. Maybe the Russians should return to their beloved motherland.

[Hannia]

For many Ukrainians Russian IS their mother tongue are you suggesting they MUST change that??

Nick, how MANY is that? Again, per usual you do not know of what you speak/write.

People should be allowed to speak whatever language they want, but the official language of a country should not be contingent on the lazy or the dumb, who won't or can't learn the language of the land.
___________________________________________________________________

FACT:

As per 2001 census taken thru-out Ukraine, 31 million 971,000 (or 67.5%) people in Ukraine saw Ukrainian as their native language, while 7 million 994,000 (or 29.6%) saw Russian as their native language.

[sjoyce]

Thank you Hannia. I guess Mr. Sadler forgets that if it was not for the Allies, he would be speaking German today!!!

[Hannia]

What Nick forgets is the political symbolism of proclaiming Russian the official language. It marginalizes Ukrainian into a regional language and returns the power over the Ukrainian body and soul back to the Russians.

But then why would he remember? After all he is a Brit. Didn't the Brits do this same thing to the Irish?

[nickcsadler]

sjoyce.. my father fought behind the lines with the yugoslav resitance and risked execution if caught.. I am NOT forgetting the allies part in defeating Hitler.. I suspect, however you are forgetting the HUGE sacrifice made by the Soviet people who were ALSO allies, and without doubt without their sacrifice we would ALL be speaking german today.. and Hannia do you not think nearly 30% of people seeing Russian as their native language in Ukraine is a significant number??

[nickcsadler]

FACT:
As per 2001 census taken thru-out Ukraine, 31 million 971,000 (or 67.5%) people in Ukraine saw Ukrainian as their native language, while 7 million 994,000 (or 29.6%) saw Russian as their native language.

7,994,000= 29.6%
Hannia, try a reread of the fact.

It does seem strange that both figures are exact thousands and has to cast doubt on the accuracy of the figures??? however it MUST be wrong to impose a language on around 8 million people unless your name is Adolf or Joseph.. surely much better to do as we have done here in UK in Wales and all official documents and road signs are in English and Welsh, as for Ireland that was many years ago and before I was able to have any input to who governed my country and anyway surely the idea of democracy is that the result of the vote at the ballot box decides who governs the country, and in Ukraines case the voters decide Yanokovich would be President so if the duly elected government decides that Russian is the language that should be spoken in the courts is that not because the government has the mandate to pass this legislation as they were voted into power by the populace.. even if you don`t agree you have to accept as the majority said yes... in UK I definitely don`t agree with the condem alliance, however I have to accept their authority as overall a majority voted for them..