Russian vs. Ukranian Language?

[Cain]

Do the poeple of Russia and those of Ukraine speak different languages?  If so, how dissimilar are the two?  I know I watch too many movies, but the guy in "The Sum of All Fears" that was fluent in Russian to a point that he could fool Russians into believing he lived there could not communicate with the Ukranians.  He also spoke Arabic.  I think I want to learn the Russian language, but I wish it would work in both countries.  Maybe the languages are very different but they also know the Russian language in the Ukraine.

[WmGo]

... in response to Russian vs. Ukranian Language?, posted by Cain on Jun 12, 2002

languages, both use the Cyrillic alphabet and have more words and pronunciations in common than differences and hence close enough to be mutualy comprehensible. Kiev is the "mother of all Russian cities" and was at the heart of the first east Slavic state of Kievan Rus dating from the 9th century.

It is probably more profitable to learn Russian than Ukrainian even if your prime interest is Ukraine as it is still more common there than Ukrainian although, as Jack points out, Ukrainian is the predominant language in western Ukraine because of the history of the region (it was last to fall under Russian control).

I think that it was stupid and inappropriate for Hollywood to produce "The Sum of All Fears" but you have sparked my interest so now I am going to go see it.

[Paci]

... in response to Russian vs. Ukranian Language?, posted by Cain on Jun 12, 2002

An Ukrainian will understand Russian, however a Russian will not necessarily understand Ukrainian. Polish and Ukrainians will understand eachother though.

Most Ukrainians are bi-langual. They can understand and speak both Ukrainian and Russian. The official language is Ukrainian, so all official information will primarily be in that language. All students has to write their school work in Ukrainian and speak it during oral exams. More and more business are being done in Ukrainian. Some say it has to do with that if you want to show that you're intelligent you speak Ukrainian.

During everyday life there is a split in the population. In most of the cities in central and especially east Ukraine Russian is the main language. In villages and western Ukraine Ukrainian is the main language. In cities like Lviv you will get the same threatment as an English man speaking English in France if you speak Russian (Try to avoid it if possible).

So, what should a foreign study, Ukrainian or Russian? Russian is like English over there, the world language. If you know Russian you can speak with most people in all of former Soviet. But, I think the language of the future will be Ukrainian in Ukraine.

[Jack]

... in response to Russian vs. Ukranian Language?, posted by Cain on Jun 12, 2002

As has been discussed many times in the past, Russian is the main language in Ukraine.

However, times are a changing!

In todays Ukraine schools they are teaching the children Ukraine, not Russian. Ukraine is trying to regain some of it's lost heritage. In the years to come you will hear more and more Ukraine being spoken by it's youth, who will someday be running the country.

Only in far Western Ukraine (Lviv, Chernvosty) will you see Ukraine being spoken, where they have a very deep and proud heritage. In fact, if you are a Ukrainian passing thru Western Ukraine and you speak Russian, many Western Ukraine people will ignore you, until you speak to them in Ukrainian. Now this is not the case for dumb tourist who try to speak a little Russian, they will tollerate us, but not so with Ukraine or Russian citizen. It is not every Western Ukraine citizen who will do this, but there are a lot who will. So if you want to see and hear the Ukraine language being spoken, go to Western Ukraine.

During Stalins rein in his attempt to "Russianize" Ukraine, he relocated millions of Russians to Ukraine. If you didn't go, then he would bury you in Russia, so many Russians were forced to re-locate to Ukraine. This is one of the many reasons why there are so many Russian women living in Ukraine, because there Russian grand parents and parents were forced to Ukraine. When men ask me what is the major difference between Russian and Ukraine women I tell them there is very little, they are essentially the same (excluding ladies from Moscow and St. Petersburg) because over the years many Russian families have relocated to Ukraine.

[Oscar]

... in response to Russian vs. Ukranian Language?, posted by Cain on Jun 12, 2002

I have ben to Ukraine twice, in three different cities and never have I heard anyone use Ukrainian as their first language, they use Russian.  My girl was born there and her name is "Olena" in Ukrainian and "Alyona" in Russian.  She has always gone by "Alyona", but most of her legal papers are in Ukrainian!  It is pretty screwy..

[MarkInTx]

... in response to Re: Russian vs. Ukranian Language?, posted by Oscar on Jun 12, 2002


A lot of the mexicans in Texas speak something the natives refer to (with disdain) as "Spanglish" -- it is mostly Spanish with a little bit of English sprinkled in.

There seems to be some of that going on in Kiev with Russian and Ukrainian.

For instance, at the Unkrainian fast food place, Victoria and the lady spoke in Ukrainian to each other, but when they were finished, they said: "Spacibo" to each other.

I asked Victoria if Thank You was the same in Russian and Ukraine and she kind of smiled sheepishly and said, no. But sometimes she has to concentrate to speak just Ukrainian when she is in Ukraine...

[MNKenr]

... in response to Russian vs. Ukranian Language?, posted by Cain on Jun 12, 2002

I saw that movie and know what part you are speaking about. With the experience I have had speaking with both Russian, and Ukrainian speakers is that the languages are very similar. Even the words they use. I am very surprised that in the movie the one guy would not understand a lick of Ukrainian. I think he was trying to protray he did not know Russian or Ukrainian and was just trying to look like a dumb American tourist lost on a military base.

If he really wanted to talk to the Ukrainian guards he would have at least spoke Russian. They would have understood him. However he just wanted to shoot them.

I think it was a joke when he asked the other guy (sorry I am bad with names!) "You speak Ukrainian?" And the reply was "and you don't?" (He speaks Russian which is close enough)

They are different languages, but similar enough to understand each other. I know basic Russian. I have not started studying Ukrainian, so I may be a little off on this.

Then again it is only a movie.

[MarkInTx]

... in response to Russian vs. Ukranian Language?, posted by Cain on Jun 12, 2002

They are different, yes.

They both use the same alphabet, so they have that in common.

Most Ukrainians will speak Russian, at least, and many can read it as well. Anyone with a higher eductaion with speak and read Russian.

I think it would be similar to Spanish and Portuguese -- they share some words and some root words, but they are completley different languages.

If you were only to learn one -- and you are doing it so you can work there -- learn Russian.

[Richard]

... in response to Russian vs. Ukranian Language?, posted by Cain on Jun 12, 2002

Most people from Eastern European countries speak both their national language and Russian.  They will tend to use there national language amongs themselves and Russian when communicating with someone of another nationality.  The Russian Language is the common language in the Former Soviet Union just like English is the common language elsewhere.

[tfcrew]

... in response to Russian vs. Ukranian Language?, posted by Cain on Jun 12, 2002

A combination of both Ukrainian and Russian. Most people speak Russian. It was mandatory in Soviet schools.