From observations on the modern trends of the functioning of the Ukrainian language in the city of Izmail

Abstract

It is the special role of Izmail among other settlements of the Budzhak region that necessitates paying attention to the functioning of the Ukrainian language in Izmail, to changes in the linguistic behavior of the city’s residents in connection with social and political transformations in the country, in connection with Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. The relevance of this issue is reinforced by the fact that the success of the Ukrainian language in Izmail will largely determine the state of the Ukrainian language in the region as a whole and national security in it. The purpose of the article is to highlight the main trends in the functioning of the state language in Izmail, Odesa region, caused by changes in the literary standard, in the language and educational legislation of Ukraine, in particular the adoption of the Laws of Ukraine “On Education” 2017, “On Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as the State Language” 2019, “Ukrainian Spelling” 2019, social and political transformations, and Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. The author uses descriptive method of investigation, method of language biography, observation and etc. Results. The author notes significant positive changes in the functioning of the Ukrainian language in Izmail after the start of military aggression against Ukraine: Ukrainian language is becoming more widely spoken, it is increasingly heard in the city in various spheres of communication; Ukrainian speech is becoming more literate, speakers are trying to ensure the purity and correctness of their Ukrainian speech; attitudes towards Ukrainian as a native language are changing (even representatives of other ethnic groups, such as Moldovans, Gagauz’s, Bulgarians, etc. are beginning to consider it as such), as a prestigious, positive language, and its aesthetic values are changing. Originality. The peculiarities of the very dynamic functioning of the Ukrainian language in the city of Izmail in this time, in the context of changes in language and educational legislation, and Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine have not yet been scientifically described. Conclusion. Positive changes in the functioning of the Ukrainian language in Izmail are not yet stable, but rather trends that need to be consolidated by continuing the process of Ukrainization. This will contribute to the full-fledged consolidation of the Ukrainian language in Izmail, and to the expansion of its use as a means of interethnic communication in the region’s multilingual environment.