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
LRM: tous locuteurs natifs uniquement aucun soutien 
LE: tous restreint aucun soutien 
LM: tous locuteurs natifs uniquement aucun soutien 
LN - SOUTIEN SUP: tous enfants de migrants uniquement aucun soutien 
1 1 none 3
Durée
≥ 2 ans 1 an <1 an   
3 3 none 3
Taille minimale des groupes
aucune  5-10  >10
1 1 none 3
Jours par semaine
 >1 jour  0.5-1 jour  <0.5 jour
3 1 none 3
Formation initiale des enseignants
spécifique à une matière générale aucune 
3 3 none 2
Formation des enseignants en cours d'emploi
spécifique à une matière générale aucune 
3 2 none 2
Financement public disponible
total partiel aucun 
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

Organisation

 

LRM

Langues R/M

LE

Langues étrangères

LM

Langues des migrants
Programmes scolaires
cohérent et explicite général pas de lignes directrices   
3 3 none
Enseignement EMILE (enseignement d'une matière intégrée à une langue étrangère)
  généralisé localisé aucun   
3 2 none
Groupes cibles
LRM: tous locuteurs natifs uniquement aucun soutien 
LE: tous restreint aucun soutien 
LM: tous locuteurs natifs uniquement aucun soutien 
3 3 none
Démarrage de l'enseignement en langue
A partir de la 1ère année à mi-étape en fin d'étape uniquement   
3 2 none
Planification
pendant le temps scolaire en partie pendant le temps scolaire hors temps scolaire    
3 2 none
Taille minimale des groupes
aucune 5-10 >10  
3 3 none
Surveillance des compétences linguistiques
surveillance nationale standardisée propre à l'établissement aucune   
2 2 none
Niveau requis
Autres LN: normes nationales ou régionales normes propres à l'établissement non spécifié 
LE: dépend du CECRL des normes nationales ou de l'établissement non spécifié 
LM: normes nationales ou régionales normes propres à l'établissement non spécifié 
3 2 none
Financement public disponible
total partiel aucun   
3 3 none

 

LN

Autres langues nationales
Programmes scolaires
cohérent et explicite général pas de lignes directrices   
3
Soutien supplémentaire pour les nouveaux arrivants
avant la phase d'intégration pendant aucun   
1
Evaluation diagnostique à l'entrée
tous immigrants uniquement aucune   
1
Surveillance des compétences linguistiques
surveillance nationale standardisée propre à l'établissement aucune   
2

Teaching

 

LRM

Langues R/M

LE

Langues étrangères

LM

Langues des migrants
Qualifications des enseignants
enseignants en langues enseignants en matières générales non qualifiés   
3 3 none
Formation initiale des enseignants
spécifique à une matière générale aucune   
3 3 none
Formation des enseignants en cours d'emploi
spécifique à une matière générale aucune   
3 3 none
Mobilité
intégrée dans la formation soutien financier informel aucune non applicable  
0 2 0

 

LN

Autres langues nationales
Qualifications des enseignants
enseignants en langues enseignants en matières générales non qualifiés   
2
Formation initiale des enseignants
spécifique à une matière générale aucune   
2
Formation des enseignants en cours d'emploi
spécifique à une matière générale aucune   
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

Organisation

 

LRM

Langues R/M

LE

Langues étrangères

LM

Langues des migrants
Programmes scolaires
cohérent et explicite général pas de lignes directrices 
3 3 none
Enseignement EMILE (enseignement d'une matière intégrée à une langue étrangère)
généralisé localisé aucun   
3 1 none
Groupes cibles
LRM: tous locuteurs natifs uniquement aucun soutien 
LE: tous restreint aucun soutien 
LM: tous locuteurs natifs uniquement aucun soutien
3 3 none
Planification
pendant le temps scolaire en partie pendant le temps scolaire hors temps scolaire   
3 3 none
Taille minimale des groupes
aucune 5-10 >10  
3 3 none
Surveillance des compétences linguistiques
surveillance nationale standardisée propre à l'établissement aucune   
2 2 none
Niveau requis
Autres LN: normes nationales ou régionales normes propres à l'établissement non spécifié not applicable
LE: dépend du CECRL des normes nationales ou propres à l'établissement non spécifié not applicable
LM: normes nationales ou régionales normes propres à l'établissement pas de normes not applicable
3 3 none
Financement public disponible
total partiel aucun   
3 3 none

 

LN

Autres langues nationales
Programmes scolaires
cohérent et explicite général pas de lignes directrices 
3
Soutien supplémentaire pour les nouveaux arrivants
avant pendant aucun   
1
Evaluation diagnostique à l'entrée
tous immigrants uniquement aucune   
3
Surveillance des compétences linguistiques
surveillance nationale standardisée propre à l'établissement aucune   
2

Teaching

 

LRM

Langues R/M

LE

Langues étrangères

LM

Langues des migrants
Qualifications des enseignants
enseignants en langues enseignants en matières générales non qualifiés   
3 3 none
Formation initiale des enseignants
spécifique à une matière générale aucune   
3 3 none
Formation des enseignants en cours d'emploi
spécifique à une matière générale aucune   
3 3 none
Mobilité
intégrée dans la formation soutien financier informel aucune non applicable  
0 2 0
Niveau de langue requis
dépend du CECRL des normes nationales ou régionales non spécifié non applicable  
0 2 0

 

LN

Autres langues nationales
Qualifications des enseignants
enseignants en langues enseignants en matières générales non qualifiés   
3
Formation initiale des enseignants
spécifique à une matière générale aucune   
3
Formation des enseignants en cours d'emploi
spécifique à une matière générale aucune   
3
Niveau de langue requis pour les locuteurs non natifs
dépend du CECRL des normes nationales ou propres à l'établissement non spécifié non applicable  
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

Further Education (in three institutions)

 

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
large variété limitée aucun 
none 2 none none 2 none none 2 none
Programmes scolaires
cohérent et explicite général pas de lignes directrices 
none 3 none none 2 none none 3 none
Niveau requis
dépend du CECRL des normes nationales non spécifié non applicable
0 2 0 0 2 0 0 1 0
Financement public disponible
total partiel aucun 
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
large variété limitée aucun 
3 2 3
Groupes cibles
tous restreint aucun 
3 3 3
Programmes scolaires
cohérent et explicite général pas de lignes directrices 
3 3 3
Compétences professionnelles
oui non 
3 1 1
Amélioration des compétences générales
oui non 
1 3 3
Financement public disponible
total partiel aucun 
3 3 3
Stages en entreprise
intégrés dans le cursus en option aucun 
1 1 3
Utilisation des instruments de l'UE
oui non 
1 1 1

Languages offered across 3 VET institutions in Ukraine

R/M Languages

Russian, Ukrainian

Langues étrangères

English, German, French

Langues des migrants

-

Higher Education (in three institutions)

 

Établissement A

Établissement B

Établissement C

Langue(s) d'enseignement
n'importe quelle langue nationale et étrangère nationale uniquement 
2 3 1
Langues sur le site web
Nationales, étrangères et R/M nationales et étrangères nationales uniquement 
3 2 2
Groupes cibles pour un soutien supplémentaire dans la langue nationale
tous  restreint aucun
3 3 3
Niveau requis dans l'enseignement en langue étrangère
dépend du CECRL des normes nationales ou propres à l'établissement non spécifié
3 2 2
Recrutement d'étudiants non nationaux
Internationaux et immigrants internationaux uniquement locuteurs natifs de la langue nationale uniquement
3 3 2
Mobilité pour les étudiants en langues
obligatoire facultative aucune offre
2 2 2
Mobilité pour les autres étudiants
obligatoire facultative aucune offre
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
>4 3-4 1-2 langue nationale uniquement 
2 1 2
Nombre de langues à la télévision
>4 3-4 1-2 langue nationale uniquement 
2 2 2
Productions télévisées en langues non nationales
sous-titrées doublées
2 4 2
Films au cinéma en langues non nationales
sous-titrées doublées
1 1 2
Programmes en langues R/M hors région
toujours régulièrement parfois jamais
1 3 2
Disponibilité du langage des signes à la télévision
toujours régulièrement parfois jamais
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

Institutionalised language strategies at city level

> 4 3-4 1-2 langue nationale uniquement

fréquence d'utilisation : largement utilisée occasionnellement utilisée non utilisée

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

Oral Communications Facilities

>4 3-4 1-2 langue nationale uniquement

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

Written Communications Facilities

>4 3-4 1-2 langue nationale uniquement 

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

General Language Strategies

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

Internal Language Strategies

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

External Language Strategies

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

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