Restructuring in a Mesolect: A Case Study on the Basis of the Formal Variation of the Infinitive in Ukrainian–Russian Surzhyk

Hentschel, Gerd; Palinska, Olesya

doi:10.11649/cs.2770

Cited by 4 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…In studies on morphological and morphosyntactic phenomena, Hentschel and Palinska ( 2022 ) and Palinska and Hentschel ( 2022 ) have illustrated regional differences in fixations of competing Ukrainian and Russian expressions. Suržyk should be seen as a continuum of mesolectal differentiations, akin to the concept of a dialect continuum, considering the numerous traditional dialectal isoglosses.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hentschel and Palinska ( 2022 ) recently referred to regional differences in Suržyk, which they propose to conceive as a mesolect between Ukrainian and Russian standard language on the one hand and autochthonous rural dialects on the other. They argue further that (at least) Ukrainian-based Suržyk should be seen as a mesolectal continuum, with far fewer regional distinctions than in the old autochthonous Ukrainian dialect continuum.…”

Section: Short Notes On the Data And On Two Possible Subtypes Of Suržykmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If a Ukrainian or Russian element predominates strongly across the linguistic area under study, one can generally assume that the quantitative dominance of one element has become established, or there is at least a strong tendency in this direction. Furthermore, in such a large survey area as the one presented here, which includes subregions with quite distinct (linguistic) histories and dialectal differences, regional preferences must be taken into account, as shown recently for morphology and morphosyntax by Hentschel and Palinska (Hentschel & Palinska, 2022 ; Palinska & Hentschel, 2022 ). Isoglosses of dialectal distribution can come into play here.…”

Section: The Suržyk Lexicon – Usage Frequency Of Ukrainian and Russia...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“… 7 Further details about the sociobiographical backgrounds of the respondents, which are not considered in this study, are provided for the central Ukraine in Hentschel and Zeller ( 2016 , 2017 ) and Zeller et al ( 2019 ) and for the Black Sea Coast in Hentschel and Palinska ( 2022 ). …”

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confidence: 99%

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Ukrainian and Russian in the lexicon of Ukrainian Suržyk: reduced variation and stabilisation in central Ukraine and on the Black Sea coast

Hentschel

2023

Russ Linguist

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The subject of this study is the so-called “Surzhyk”, a mixed Ukrainian-Russian variety used by millions of people in Ukraine, sometimes alongside Ukrainian and, less commonly, alongside Russian. More specifically, the focus here is on the lexicon, addressing the following questions: (i) To what extent is the mixed speech lexicon influenced by Ukrainian or Russian? (ii) Does the distribution of Ukrainian or Russian lexemes reveal a reduction in variation, i.e. patterns of stabilisation? In other words, are there tendencies for one of the two competing, synonymous, or functionally equivalent Ukrainian or Russian lexemes to prevail over the other?Many Ukrainian linguists have stereotypically claimed for years that the distribution of Ukrainian and Russian elements in Surzhyk is unpredictable, spontaneous, if not chaotic. It is worth noting that these opinions are not based on comprehensive, systematic empirical evidence and largely ignore theoretical developments in the field of code-mixing.In contrast, by means of a quantitative analysis of an extensive corpus and a focus on intra-sentential code-mixing, this study demonstrates that the majority of recorded lexical Ukrainian-Russian competitions exhibit a clear fixation on one of the two expressions, resulting in a reduction in variation. In these instances, one of the two expressions prevails extensively across the entire region of Central Ukraine and the Black Sea Coast. Surzhyk is evidently evolving towards a “fused lect”. A smaller portion of the examined instances reveals such stabilisation only in certain parts of the survey area, and another equally small portion exhibits widespread variability. In general, Ukrainian and Russian lexemes are roughly balanced in quantity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Short Notes On the Data And On Two Possible Subtypes Of Suržykmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Suržyk Lexicon – Usage Frequency Of Ukrainian and Russia...mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ukrainian and Russian in the lexicon of Ukrainian Suržyk: reduced variation and stabilisation in central Ukraine and on the Black Sea coast

Hentschel

2023

Russ Linguist

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“…In this study all interviewees were citizens of Ukraine and the terms "Ukrainian"/ "Russian" were used in the sense of ethnic identity, although in open interviews respondents could also use them in the sense of citizenship. (For a more detailed discussion about relations between mother language/first language and ethnicity/"nationality" in Ukraine, see Hentschel & Palinska, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

East vs West: Geopolitical Orientations and Language Practices of Residents of Central and Southern Ukraine

Palinska

2023

Journal of Eurasian Studies

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The paper based on quantitative and qualitative analysis on data on language attitudes and geopolitical orientations obtained in Central and Southern Ukraine shows significant differences between two regions. The assessment of linguistic changes occurred after the collapse of the USSR in both regions is unequivocal: most participants in open interviews noted a positive trend for the Ukrainian language, including the expansion of functional spheres of its use (on television, in politics, in education) and its higher prestige in society. Post-Soviet changes toward the expansion of the use of the Ukrainian language were viewed positively even by predominantly Russian-speaking respondents, who opposed “Ukrainization” in other aspects. Based on the answers to the questions in the “Geopolitics” and “Identity” blocks of questionnaire, two types of respondents were identified using cluster analysis: (1) “pro-European” and (2) “pro-Russian.” The language preferences of respondents belonging to different clusters differed in the regions studied: while more Ukrainian speakers, both in the Center and in the South, mainly belonged to the first cluster, and more Russian speakers (to a somewhat lesser extent) to the second, speakers who used a mixed idiom known as Surzhik in the Center, were more “pro-Russian,” and in the South, more “pro-European” oriented. That can signal of differences in language attitudes and labeling regarding Surzhik in those regions of Ukraine.

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The linguistic situation on the Ukrainian Black Sea coast – Ukrainian, Russian and Suržyk as “native language”, “primary code”, frequently used codes and codes of linguistic socialization during childhood

Hentschel

Palinska

2022

Russ Linguist

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The study analyses the linguistic situation in the three Ukrainian oblasts on the Black Sea coast using survey data collected from 1,200 respondents before the Russian attack on Ukraine. At the end of the 18th century, this region was the core of a “new Russian” governate during Tsarist times. Previously, the region had been ruled by Tatars and there were neither Russian nor Ukrainian settlements. From the 19th century onwards, the Ukrainian and Russian population dominated. Since the annexation of the Crimea, these oblasts represent a crucial part of the Kremlin’s plan to establish an “expanded New Russia (Novorossiya)” under Moscow’s control – extending along the Ukrainian-Russian border and the northern Black Sea coast, reaching from Xarkiv to Odesa. This area is clearly at the forefront of Russia’s current war goals since controlling it would allow them to establish the strategically important land bridge to Crimea.Linguistically, the area undoubtedly belongs to those regions of Ukraine where Russian was prominent, although apart from the Crimea at no time was there an ethnic Russian majority on the Black Sea coast – neither during Soviet times nor since Ukraine’s independence. This means that the population with Ukrainian “nationality” also made strong use of Russian. This situation is being instrumentalized by Moscow as an argument for its military intervention to protect the Russian or Russian-speaking population.The study firstly describes the linguistic situation in the region, differentiating between the so-called mother tongue, the first language acquired and the principally-used language. It can be shown that the traditionally assumed dominance of Russian is actually far weaker when the population’s “multicodality”, including the mixed variety Suržyk, is included in the analysis. A differentiation is made between respondents with Ukrainian and Russian nationality throughout the analysis. Using statistical procedures such as principal component analysis and cluster analysis, the interdependencies between stated mother tongue, first language and multicodality are presented. Different motives for claiming a certain mother tongue can be identified among subgroups of respondents. The analysis focuses particularly on the questions of the extent to which central government measures to strengthen the position of Ukrainian since Ukraine’s independence have changed respondents’ preferences when choosing a code, and whether respondents have perceived social pressure for any form of shift. On the whole, it can be established that speakers with Ukrainian nationality who were primarily socialized in Russian have considerably increased their usage of Ukrainian, but without abandoning Russian. At best, this can also be established to a minimal extent for respondents with Russian nationality. Furthermore, since there is only extremely scant evidence that respondents encounter disapproval or censure from their environment for their choice of code (be it Russian, Suržyk or Ukrainian), Moscow’s claim of persecution, if not genocide of the Russian-speaking population is exposed as a blatant lie.

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Restructuring in a Mesolect: A Case Study on the Basis of the Formal Variation of the Infinitive in Ukrainian–Russian Surzhyk

Cited by 4 publications

References 25 publications

Ukrainian and Russian in the lexicon of Ukrainian Suržyk: reduced variation and stabilisation in central Ukraine and on the Black Sea coast

Ukrainian and Russian in the lexicon of Ukrainian Suržyk: reduced variation and stabilisation in central Ukraine and on the Black Sea coast

East vs West: Geopolitical Orientations and Language Practices of Residents of Central and Southern Ukraine

The linguistic situation on the Ukrainian Black Sea coast – Ukrainian, Russian and Suržyk as “native language”, “primary code”, frequently used codes and codes of linguistic socialization during childhood

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