Cover Osteuropa 2-4/2010

In Osteuropa 2-4/2010

Forked Tongues
Language and Language Policy in Ukraine

Volodymyr Kulyk


Deutsche Fassung

Abstract

In Ukraine, the use of language often contrasts with the ideological assessment of Ukrainian and Russian. The expectations of state language policy are ambivalent. The political rhetoric is confrontational. The unreasonable language laws, however, remain unchanged. After the Orange Revolution, President Viktor Yushchenko announced an Ukrainisation. Hardly anything has happened: Only in radio and television is Ukrainian used more. Something else has changed: The political confrontation and undemocratic, administrative language policy have discredited the promotion of Ukrainian.

(Osteuropa 2-4/2010, pp. 391–402)