Ukraine
Україна
Country context
As of 1 October 2011 the population of Ukraine was 45.7 million (according to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine). According to the national census in 2001 Ukraine was inhabited by representatives of more than 130 nationalities and ethnic groups with Ukrainians accounting for 77.8% of the population. The largest minority group was Russian and comprised 8.3 million people (17.3% of the country’s population). All the other large ethnolinguistic minorities together are estimated at less than 2.4 million people (4.9% of the Ukrainian population), with each of them containing less than 300,000 people1.
Pursuant to the 1989 Law on languages and the 1996 Constitution the state language is Ukrainian. The most widespread languages in Ukraine are Ukrainian and Russian. Ukraine is regionally divided into a predominantly Ukrainian speaking West and mainly Russian speaking East, while in the central regions the Russian language dominates in large cities and Ukrainian in small towns and villages. The most populated towns and cities are situated in eastern Ukraine, which influenced the peculiarities of choosing Lviv for the three-municipal form of research as the largest city among the cities and towns of Ukrainian-speaking West.
The linguistic landscape of Ukraine is determined by the fact that Russian which is not a state language is used by the majority of the population including those people belonging to the other minorities. In 2001, 67.5% of Ukrainian inhabitants acknowledged Ukrainian to be their mother tongue while 29.6% considered their mother tongue to be Russian. According to recent sociological data2, communication in Ukrainian is reducing, while communication in Russian is increasing.
The language issue regarding the balance between the Ukrainian and Russian languages is at the centre of heated public debate. The extended usage of Ukrainian means an inevitable narrowing of those fields where Russian is used due to the fact that earlier there was a long-term process of forcing the Ukrainian language out of usage in favour of Russian. The renewal of the status of the Ukrainian language is officially supported but the actual position of Russian in society remains strong. Reaching the appropriate balance between Ukrainian and Russian is a crucial task for the current social and political processes in Ukraine.
The level of immigration to Ukraine is rather high with more than 30,000 people coming to the country every year1. The immigrants living in Ukraine are considered to be minorities as far as language issues are concerned. Most often newly arrived immigrants have to learn Ukrainian (more seldom) or Russian (more often) or use English.
1 Publications of statistical reference books by the State Statistics Service of Ukraine [http://www.ukrstat.gov.ua/].
2 Language Policy and Language Situation in Ukraine: Analysis and Recommendations /Ed. J. Besters-Dilger. – 2nd Edition. – Publishing House ‘Kyiv-Mohyla Academy’, 2008. – page 363. - INTAS Project ‘Language Policy in Ukraine: Anthropological, Linguistic and Further Perspectives’ (2006-2008).
Languages in official documents and databases
The national language, foreign languages and a whole range of R/M languages are dealt with in language legislation and/or language policy documents. The learning and teaching of the national language abroad for children and/or adults originating from Ukraine is (co-)funded in 15 countries in Europe and abroad. The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages has been signed and ratified by Ukraine. The following 13 R/M languages are recognised in the Charter: Belarusan, Bulgarian, Crimean-Tatar, Gagauz, German, Greek, Hungarian, Moldovan, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Slovak and Yiddish. There is official provision in nation- or region-wide education, supported by the Charter, for all of these languages.
Official nation-wide data collection mechanisms on language diversity in Ukraine exist in terms of census data and periodically updated survey data. In these data collection mechanisms, national and R/M language varieties are addressed, based on a mother tongue question.
In 1996 Ukraine signed the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages which became valid on 1 January 2003. The main authority responsible for the issues of minorities is the State Committee on Nationalities and Religions.
According to information provided by the government the issue of language is officially monitored in Ukraine. Ukraine submitted its first periodic report on the implementation of the Charter to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on 1 August 2007. The report’s conclusions were accepted by the Committee of Experts on 27 November 2008 and the corresponding recommendations were approved on 7 July 20103.
Language issues are systematically studied by scientific institutions and the results of social and sociolinguistic research are published in print and electronic mass media and are widely available.
3 Application of the Charter in Ukraine. First Stage of Monitoring: A Report by the Committee of Experts about the Charter Application by Ukraine. Recommendation by Committee of Ministers of Council of Europe as to the Application of the Charter by Ukraine./ ECRML 2010 (6). – Strasbourg, 7 July, 2010.
Languages in pre-primary education
|
LRM
Langues R/M
|
LE
Langues étrangères
|
LM
Langues des migrants
|
LN - SOUTIEN SUP
Langues nationales
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Groupes cibles
|
1 | 1 | none | 3 | ||||
Durée
|
3 | 3 | none | 3 | ||||
Taille minimale des groupes
|
1 | 1 | none | 3 | ||||
Jours par semaine
|
3 | 1 | none | 3 | ||||
Formation initiale des enseignants
|
3 | 3 | none | 2 | ||||
Formation des enseignants en cours d'emploi
|
3 | 2 | none | 2 | ||||
Financement public disponible
|
3 | 2 | none | 3 |
Languages offered in pre-primary education
R/M Languages |
Crimean Tatar, German, Hungarian, Moldovan, Polish, Romanian, Russian | |
---|---|---|
Langues étrangères |
English, French, German, Spanish: one of these languages is compulsory | |
Langues des migrants |
- |
The Ukrainian educational system comprises about 15,000 pre-primary establishments and 21,000 schools where 84.6% of children are taught in Ukrainian, 14.8% are taught in Russian, and in the areas densely inhabited by the population of the other nationalities about 6,500 children are taught in Hungarian, Moldavian, Romanian, Crimean Tatar and other languages. Pre-primary education in Belarusian, Gagauz and Greek is not provided. The authorities need to conduct more consultations with the speakers of these languages to better estimate the need for teaching children in the languages of their minorities and to ensure the training of teaching staff and provision of educational materials.
Languages in primary education
|
LRM
Langues R/M
|
LE
Langues étrangères
|
LM
Langues des migrants
|
|||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Programmes scolaires
|
3 | 3 | none | |||
Enseignement EMILE (enseignement d'une matière intégrée à une langue étrangère)
|
3 | 2 | none | |||
Groupes cibles
|
3 | 3 | none | |||
Démarrage de l'enseignement en langue
|
3 | 2 | none | |||
Planification
|
3 | 2 | none | |||
Taille minimale des groupes
|
3 | 3 | none | |||
Surveillance des compétences linguistiques
|
2 | 2 | none | |||
Niveau requis
|
3 | 2 | none | |||
Financement public disponible
|
3 | 3 | none | |||
|
LN
Autres langues nationales
|
|||||
Programmes scolaires
|
3 | |||||
Soutien supplémentaire pour les nouveaux arrivants
|
1 | |||||
Evaluation diagnostique à l'entrée
|
1 | |||||
Surveillance des compétences linguistiques
|
2 |
|
LRM
Langues R/M
|
LE
Langues étrangères
|
LM
Langues des migrants
|
---|---|
Qualifications des enseignants
|
3 | 3 | none |
Formation initiale des enseignants
|
3 | 3 | none |
Formation des enseignants en cours d'emploi
|
3 | 3 | none |
Mobilité
|
0 | 2 | 0 |
|
LN
Autres langues nationales
|
Qualifications des enseignants
|
2 |
Formation initiale des enseignants
|
2 |
Formation des enseignants en cours d'emploi
|
2 |
Languages offered in primary education
R/M Languages |
Belarusan, Bulgarian, Crimean Tatar, Gagauz, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Moldovan, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Slovak |
---|
Langues étrangères |
Compulsory: 1-2 from English, French, German or Spanish depending on the school Optional: Armenian, Czech, Korean, Turkish, Vietnamese: as extra-curricular language |
Langues des migrants |
- |
Formerly, foreign languages were taught from the fifth form but since 2002 learning has starting from the second form. Now it has been decided that from 2012 one foreign language will be obligatorily in primary school from the first form. From 1996 to 2006 the number of foreign language teachers for primary schools increased almost six fold.
Languages in secondary education
|
LRM
Langues R/M
|
LE
Langues étrangères
|
LM
Langues des migrants
|
|||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Programmes scolaires
|
3 | 3 | none | |||
Enseignement EMILE (enseignement d'une matière intégrée à une langue étrangère)
|
3 | 1 | none | |||
Groupes cibles
|
3 | 3 | none | |||
Planification
|
3 | 3 | none | |||
Taille minimale des groupes
|
3 | 3 | none | |||
Surveillance des compétences linguistiques
|
2 | 2 | none | |||
Niveau requis
|
3 | 3 | none | |||
Financement public disponible
|
3 | 3 | none | |||
|
LN
Autres langues nationales
|
|||||
Programmes scolaires
|
3 | |||||
Soutien supplémentaire pour les nouveaux arrivants
|
1 | |||||
Evaluation diagnostique à l'entrée
|
3 | |||||
Surveillance des compétences linguistiques
|
2 |
|
LRM
Langues R/M
|
LE
Langues étrangères
|
LM
Langues des migrants
|
---|---|
Qualifications des enseignants
|
3 | 3 | none |
Formation initiale des enseignants
|
3 | 3 | none |
Formation des enseignants en cours d'emploi
|
3 | 3 | none |
Mobilité
|
0 | 2 | 0 |
Niveau de langue requis
|
0 | 2 | 0 |
|
LN
Autres langues nationales
|
Qualifications des enseignants
|
3 |
Formation initiale des enseignants
|
3 |
Formation des enseignants en cours d'emploi
|
3 |
Niveau de langue requis pour les locuteurs non natifs
|
2 |
Languages offered in secondary education
R/M Languages |
Russian, Hungarian, Romanian, Moldovan, Crimean Tatar, Polish, German, Slovak, Belarusan, Bulgarian, Gagauz, Greek, Jewish |
---|
Langues étrangères |
English, German, French, Spanish: depending on the school, one or two of these languages are compulsory Korean, Turkish, Armenian, Czech, Vietnamese: optional, extracurricular languages |
Langues des migrants |
- |
In general there are 3.1 million children in secondary education. There are 16 foreign languages available for study, one or two of which are chosen for obligatory learning. More than 90% of schools make their choice in favour of English. Over the past few years the number of English teachers has grown by more than a third (2008 compared to 1996).
The language of teaching in secondary schools is determined by the parents and in most cases they have a choice. Teaching in secondary schools using minority languages is well provided for when compared to the other levels of education. The prospects for further development create the conditions for teaching children in secondary schools using the Karaim, Krymchak and Romani languages.
Languages in Further and Higher Education
|
Établissement A | Établissement B | Établissement C | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LRM
Langues R/M
|
LE
Langues étrangères
|
LM
Langues des migrants
|
LRM
Langues R/M
|
LE
Langues étrangères
|
LM
Langues des migrants
|
LRM
Langues R/M
|
LE
Langues étrangères
|
LM
Langues des migrants
|
||
Gamme de programmes de soutien en langue
|
none | 2 | none | none | 2 | none | none | 2 | none | |
Programmes scolaires
|
none | 3 | none | none | 2 | none | none | 3 | none | |
Niveau requis
|
0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
Financement public disponible
|
none | 3 | none | none | 3 | none | none | 3 | none | |
LN - SOUTIEN SUP
Langues nationales
|
LN - SOUTIEN SUP
Langues nationales
|
LN - SOUTIEN SUP
Langues nationales
|
||||||||
Gamme de programmes de soutien en langue
|
3 | 2 | 3 | |||||||
Groupes cibles
|
3 | 3 | 3 | |||||||
Programmes scolaires
|
3 | 3 | 3 | |||||||
Compétences professionnelles
|
3 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
Amélioration des compétences générales
|
1 | 3 | 3 | |||||||
Financement public disponible
|
3 | 3 | 3 | |||||||
Stages en entreprise
|
1 | 1 | 3 | |||||||
Utilisation des instruments de l'UE
|
1 | 1 | 1 |
Languages offered across 3 VET institutions in Ukraine
R/M Languages |
Russian, Ukrainian |
---|
Langues étrangères |
English, German, French |
Langues des migrants |
- |
|
Établissement A |
Établissement B |
Établissement C |
---|---|
Langue(s) d'enseignement
|
2 | 3 | 1 |
Langues sur le site web
|
3 | 2 | 2 |
Groupes cibles pour un soutien supplémentaire dans la langue nationale
|
3 | 3 | 3 |
Niveau requis dans l'enseignement en langue étrangère
|
3 | 2 | 2 |
Recrutement d'étudiants non nationaux
|
3 | 3 | 2 |
Mobilité pour les étudiants en langues
|
2 | 2 | 2 |
Mobilité pour les autres étudiants
|
2 | 2 | 2 |
Languages offered across 3 higher education institutions in Ukraine
English, German, French, Spanish, Russian, Polish |
---|
Vocational training in Ukraine is provided in 919 state educational establishments using mostly Ukrainian. Thirty-nine educational facilities offer their students instruction in Russian (in 123 facilities the subjects are partially taught in Russian), and there is only one establishment where the subjects are taught in Hungarian. In universities foreign languages, as well as the languages of minorities, are mainly taught as separate subjects.
Languages in Audiovisual Media and Press
|
Kyiv |
Kharkiv |
Lviv |
---|---|
Nombre de langues à la radio
|
2 | 1 | 2 |
Nombre de langues à la télévision
|
2 | 2 | 2 |
Productions télévisées en langues non nationales
|
2 | 4 | 2 |
Films au cinéma en langues non nationales
|
1 | 1 | 2 |
Programmes en langues R/M hors région
|
1 | 3 | 2 |
Disponibilité du langage des signes à la télévision
|
2 | 2 | 2 |
Languages offered in audiovisual media and press across 3 cities in Ukraine
Radio |
Russian, Polish |
---|
Television |
English, Russian |
Journaux |
Russian, English, Polish, French |
According to the public affairs service of the Ministry of Justice, in 2007 among the national publications printed, in Ukrainian only, there were 4,390 registered printed periodicals, 2,495 publications in Russian and 35 publications in English. There were 4,389 registered mixed-form publications: the majority of them are in Russian and other languages, 13 of them are in Crimean Tatar and other languages, eight of them are in Bulgarian and other languages, ten of them are in Polish and other languages, five of them are in Romanian and other languages, 324 of them are in English and other languages, 28 of them are in German and other languages, eight of them are in French and other languages, two of them are in Chinese and other languages, four of them are in Belarusian and other languages. The three cities selected for research do not show a great number of minority language publications, except for Russian, therefore the index does not fully demonstrate the picture of language diversity in Ukraine.
The language situation in mass media is characterised by two peculiarities. The first is related to the correlation between the usage of Ukrainian and Russian where there is a considerable domination of Russian, especially with regard to the circulation of newspapers and magazines, the language of TV programmes in prime-time, and the playlist of FM radio stations. The second is an evidently poor meeting of the language needs of other minority groups of the population. Thus, television and radio broadcasting in minority languages (except for Russian) is provided only in five of the 26 oblasts of Ukraine. There still exists a widespread opinion going back to the Soviet times that groups speaking other languages have to meet their need by accessing Russian language media space.
Languages in public services and spaces
Kyiv |
Kharkiv |
Lviv |
---|
Services municipaux |
4 | 4 | 2 |
Présence dans le site web |
0 | 0 | 0 |
Rapports municipaux annuels |
4 | 4 | 0 |
Traducteurs et interprètes externes ou internes |
2 | 5 | 5 |
Compétences dans des langues autres que la langue nationale dans les descriptions de postes des employés |
0 | 4 | 4 |
Plan ou programme en place destiné à améliorer les compétences en langues |
1 | 1 | 1 |
Recrutement de personnes multilingues pour soutenir les objectifs de l'organisation |
0 | 5 | 1 |
Offre de formation en langues aux employés |
1 | 1 | 1 |
Registre des compétences en langues des employés régulièrement mis à jour |
5 | 4 | 0 |
Programmes de récompense ou de promotion pour les employés capables de communiquer correctement dans une autre langue |
5 | 4 | 4 |
Kyiv |
Kharkiv |
Lviv |
---|
Débats politiques et processus de prise de décision au niveau du conseil municipal |
2 | 2 | 1 |
Services de l'éducation |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Services d'urgence |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Services de santé |
2 | 2 | 3 |
Services sociaux |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Services juridiques |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Services de transport |
3 | 2 | 3 |
Services d'immigration et d'intégration |
2 | 2 | 4 |
Services du tourisme |
3 | 2 | 3 |
Programmes de théâtre |
2 | 2 | 3 |
Kyiv |
Kharkiv |
Lviv |
---|
Débats politiques et processus de prise de décision au niveau du conseil municipal |
2 | 2 | 1 |
Services de l'éducation |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Services d'urgence |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Services de santé |
2 | 2 | 3 |
Services sociaux |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Services juridiques |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Services de transport |
3 | 2 | 2 |
Services d'immigration et d'intégration |
2 | 2 | 4 |
Services du tourisme |
3 | 2 | 3 |
Programmes de théâtre |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Languages offered in public services and spaces across 3 cities in Ukraine (N ≥ 2)
Russian, English, Polish, French, German, Spanish, Italian |
---|
In the field of law the state language is mainly used. Of the minority languages Russian is used, especially in Eastern Ukraine. There is little information available regarding the use of translation to other languages if a person can not speak either Ukrainian or Russian. Official documents at local government level are published in Ukrainian and Russian, with oral communication in state and public bodies in other languages being provided at the level of village councils in the areas of minority settlements. The usage of the national language by the representatives of ethnic minorities (except for Russian) in communication with the governmental authorities is fully provided for in those areas where the corresponding ethnic group represents the majority or a considerable part of the population and has representation in the government. In other cases such language requirements are rarely, if at all, met.
The preparation for Euro 2012 in Ukraine promotes the introduction of English in public spaces and services and furthers the development of agencies to render services to tourists speaking other languages.
Languages in business - 24 companies
Largement utilisée |
Occasionnellement utilisée |
Non utilisée |
---|
Stratégie linguistique en place |
8 | 3 | 13 |
Accent mis sur les compétences en langues lors du recrutement |
13 | 7 | 4 |
Clause de mobilité internationale |
6 | 7 | 11 |
Recours à des traducteurs/interprètes externes |
6 | 9 | 9 |
Tenue de registres sur les compétences en langues du personnel |
0 | 5 | 19 |
Utilisation de réseaux pour la formation en langues |
2 | 1 | 21 |
Utilisation de programmes / financements de l'UE |
0 | 1 | 23 |
Connaissance des programmes / financements de l'UE |
0 | 3 | 21 |
Largement utilisée | Occasionnellement utilisée | Non utilisée | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NL |
BE |
FL-R/M - IL |
NL |
BE |
FL-R/M - IL |
NL |
BE |
FL-R/M - IL |
|
Partenariats avec le secteur de l'éducation pour les langues |
1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 19 | 24 |
Programmes de récompenses / promotion basés sur les compétences en langues |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 23 | 19 | 22 |
Offre d'une formation en langues |
1 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 15 | 24 |
Utilisation du CECRL |
0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 24 | 21 | 22 |
Langues utilisées pour les documents sur le lieu de travail/l'intranet |
23 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 9 |
Langues utilisées pour les logiciels, les programmes web |
22 | 15 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
Largement utilisée | Occasionnellement utilisée | Non utilisée | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NL |
BE |
FL-R/M - IL |
NL |
BE |
FL-R/M - IL |
NL |
BE |
FL-R/M - IL |
|
Langues utilisées pour les rapports annuels/rapports d'activité |
23 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 15 |
Langues utilisées pour le marketing |
22 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 14 |
Langues utilisées pour la promotion de la marque/l'identité |
23 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 9 |
Langues utilisées pour le site web |
20 | 12 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 8 |
Languages other than English offered in business across 24 companies in Ukraine (N ≥ 2)
Russian, German, Polish, French |
---|
The information about language diversity in the commercial world is the least available. In regulations of enterprises there is no provision excluding or restricting the usage of regional languages or languages of minorities, at least among the people using the same language.
Key Findings overall
The language correlation currently existing in Ukraine is, on the one hand, the continuation of the process of total Russification and, on the other hand, the reflection of the desire of the Ukrainian people for national and political self-awareness. Therefore, the usage of Ukrainian and Russian, which has become the subject of heated social and political debate remains the central issue for language development. The controversy over the need to establish Ukrainian and the preservation of the usage of Russian needs to be strategically settled and legally regulated4. It concerns in particular fields such as mass media, education and social life. The development of the other minority languages (except for Russian) requires both state support and an increase in conscious aspiration of the ethnic groups to preserve and develop their national language, and, thus, demand to exercise their rights to the full extent of Ukrainian laws. Currently immigrants’ languages are the least protected in Ukraine and require heightened attention on the part of the state authorities and public organisations, as well as the furthering of their recognition in society.
Important initiatives for international relations and the cultural development of the Ukrainian minorities include the following: cultural and educational events aimed at forming tolerance, respect for culture, history, customs and traditions of the representatives of different nationalities; state financial support to newspapers published in the languages of minorities and rendering assistance to cultural centres; tourist routes to the areas densely inhabited by minority groups to broaden awareness of ethnic, cultural and language identity.
4 Personal and Interpersonal Backgrounds for Increasing Status Value of Communication in Ukrainian among Students (V.O. Vasiutynskyi, K.M. Kalachnikova