I'm Polish, my boyfriend is Ukrainian. He speaks Polish really well and I started learning Ukrainan with your channel to talk with his relatives. Can't speak actually but I understand it. I fully support you, this war is a horror for us all. You, staying in your country and us, people in Poland reading news all the time and trying to help woman and children which arrived to Poland, seeing how little we can do. I'm glad to see you healthy. Great video! We are with you all with our hearts, thinking about Ukrainian people all the time.
Instead of hiding in Poland, your friend should fight for Ukraine. Maybe he'll have to anyway 'cause Poland is getting ready to invade Ukraine to grab its western part.
Hi, 이나. I'm Korean. This video made me think of the history of Korea. So many things in common Ukraine and Korea, hearbreaking history.... Using Korean was prohibited, Publishing in Korean was banned by Japan only about 80 years ago... Thank you so much for this video, 이나. I pray for peace with all my heart in Ukraine and everyone's safety.
So, not only I thought about it. I have been interested in Korea for a few years and noticed that our stories are similar and even mentalists. Also, we are alike because both of our nations are very musical (especially in singing).
It's embarrassing that I did not know much about Ukraine before, but thanks to this video, I learned a little about Ukraine's history. I hope that peace will soon return to Ukraine. It is not a very large amount, but I made a donation to Embassy of Ukraine in Japan.
I went to a Ukrainian language school in the 1970’s in Canada. I’ve lost much of the language but have been working hard the last few month…a beautiful language. Great video. Slava Ukraini. 🇨🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇨🇦
Ukraine exemplifies the fight for freedom. And they will succeed because they are adaptive, creative, and caring. Ukraine is the embodiment of freedom and grit over oppression and tyranny. The world is in their debt for their heroic example. 💙 Slava Ukraini 💛
@@gorniklecznaman3414 yes, it is Polish however my Mother’s family is Ukrainian from Chernivtsy, and and Father’s family, who are Polish, were from the Lviv area. I’m Polish/Ukrainian but my roots are firmly in Ukraine. I’m proud of both sides; especially now.
Don't listen to those people who try to not give a value to the Ukrainian language, we are free to teach or learn even the languages which are not used anymore, like Latin or Phoenician who knows, it's something about passion for knowledge and learning not only for the benefits in this modern world, because if it's for only benefits we all have to forget our native languages and speak English! But no! We love our own native languages and will share them with this world, thank you Inna! You're well educated person. God bless you and your loved ones.
Привіт, Inna. I'm very glad to see you keep doing a fantastic job! Well done! The Ukrainian language is as beautiful and unique as its people. Besides, the people of Ukraine are very friendly and generous to guests and visitors. It is important to mention these are just a few reasons to learn how to speak this lovely language! With that being said, I wish you and all Ukrainians a day filled with love, solidarity, and hope. Have a nice day and take care of yourself, Inna. Слава Україні! 💛💙🕊
Hello, I am from Chile, I have the desire and the motivation to learn Ukrainian. Do not let the Ukrainian language die, it is very beautiful. A strong hug.
I am Ukrainian raised in the USA and my family refused to teach me Ukrainian because of the Russian aggression. I have been learning Ukrainian from you for a while now. Thank you.
@Dimitry Russkiy 🇷🇺 "Z"V" Thank you for identifying yourself as a utilitarian Machiavellian. Altruistic humanitarians beware the cultural genocide of Russification!
@Dimitry Russkiy 🇷🇺 "Z"V" Relax, just keep calm, have more friends is always better than single enemy. I'm sure that just her personal opinion, in fact, she don't have any purpose going to there, for now, who knows in future 🙂
Great video. I am 30 years old from Poland, was learning Russian at school next to English, and today I can follow media in Russian and hold a conversation on a relatively good level. But to be honest, since the war started, I am more and more interested in learning Ukrainian. I enjoy the sound, I have Ukrainian friends, and even more important - it is a language of heroes. People will be talking for years about your bravery and the sound of Ukrainian will be associated with courage, pure heart, and strength. I wish you all the best, and please continue your work. Slava Ukraini!
It is the nation that sold out it's population for a unneccessary proxy war the US/NATO had been fostering for at least 30 years, if not longer. Kind of like the usuful idiot of f the EU nuland. I think loosing this war, and poland also loosing this war, will make the whole world hate both polish and ukraine for being traitors to the slavic race, which is ultimately their (linguistic) if not genetic origin.
It happened with India too but we are still fighting. Britishers ruled us for 190 years and they even changed our history, but in recent times many great historians are writing books exposing them. You guys are going through a rough time, keep on pushing hard, one day you all will be much appreciated.
They did the same thing in Ireland which is still partly occupied by Britain. Modern Brits are lovely people but historically not so much, & the settlers in the north of Ireland are perhaps similar to east of Ukraine. I.e. it's not their descendants' fault but they should celebrate their culture without dividing the nation where they now live.
Every empire does this, not just the British or the Russian. My country was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire for 500 years. They have not been able to change our language and religion significantly, but culturally they have largely succeeded.
Pressure your government to reverse its abstention votes in the UN on issues of Russian aggression. In these times it appears as covert support of Russia.
Before Britishers only 15 percent of people had right to study which are upper caste hindus or rich Muslims(women not included)...although Britishers did economical damage to us (indians)...but they made education accessible to all people...all people could study and get educated(only for there greedy purpose to slave us )but it benefits all other people who weren't allowed to study due to social inequality, gender or religion....and if you gonna talk about hindi...than just read history and reports about how many Indians actually speak hindi....
Привет! (English text below) Я учусь на востоковеда, так что отчасти лингвист (мовознавець, кажется?), хоть и в основном занимаюсь восточными языками. Но имея те знания, которые получила в университете, прекрасно понимаю, что украинский язык - никакой не диалект, самостоятельный язык, национальный язык Украины, который нужно развивать и поддерживать. Кстати, даже на территории России некоторые слабые республики уже начинают потихоньку утрачивать свои национальные языки. У меня парень калмык, он знает на своем языке лишь пару слов. Если о других славянских странах: многие белорусы же вообще не говорят на своём языке. Культурная идентичность ослабевает. Очевидно, почему многие украинцы сейчас перешли на украинский. Мне нравятся украинский язык, особенно песни, я по ним уже даже немного разобралась в фонетике. Многие русские могут понимать украинскую речь, ведь славянские языки похожи, но на то они и языки, что развивались самостоятельно! А те, кто называют их "диалектами" - глупы. Пусть книги по языкознанию читают. Hey! My major is oriental studies, so I'm a bit of a linguist (мовознавець, I guess?), although I'm mostly into oriental languages. But considering the knowledge that I got at the university, I perfectly understand that the Ukrainian language is not a dialect, an independent language, the national language of Ukraine, which needs to be developed and supported. By the way, even on the territory of Russia, some weak republics have already begun to lose their national languages. My boyfriend is Kalmyk, he knows only few words in his language. Talking about Slavic countries: many people in Belarus don't speak their own language at all. Cultural identity is vanishing. It is obvious why many Ukrainians have now switched to Ukrainian completely. I like the Ukrainian language, especially the songs, I even got a little understanding of phonetics from listening to them. Many Russians can understand Ukrainian, because the Slavic languages are similar, but they ARE languages that have been developed on their own! And those who call them "dialects" are stupid. Let them read books on linguistics.
Unfortunately, those people aren’t stupid, they are doing it on purpose in propaganda to justify their aggression to their people and to try to gaslight the world to keep them from helping Ukraine 🇺🇦
I’m Norwegian and learning Ukrainian. I went to Ukraine for the first time late last year to adopt my beautiful dog and I loved it, even though it was a little bit scary also. I want to go back in the future but then I want to speak Ukrainian and learn more about your culture. Thank you so much Inna for making these videos, they are very useful to me! You’re a great teacher 🇺🇦🙌
You know what I so much admire? That after all the years of occupation the ukranians never lost/gave up their culture. It would have been so easy to just submit but they never did and therefore experience so much suffer. Similar to Estonia.
Historia usuwania języka ukraińskiego brzmi jak rusyfikacja polskich obszarów. Tym bardziej całym sercem wspieramy Twoją walkę o własny język, o własny kraj i wolność. Wiemy, że płacicie za to ogromną cenę, dlatego pomagamy jak możemy. Dziękuję, że publikujesz takie treści i niesiesz język ukraiński w świat. Trzymaj się!
Ukraine is not unique. Catalan is not a dialect of Spanish. Galician is not a dialect of Portuguese. Serbian and Croatian are mutually understandable but distinct dialects/languages and the same goes for Macedonian and Bulgarian. India and Africa have similar problems. The more important question is whether to learn Ukrainian or Russian. For the most part, Russian is more relevant.
Привiт, Inna! Thank you so much for this history lesson. I wish the entire world could see this video. I understand the importance of a language to a country’s culture (my home is bilingual). I will do my best to support you and your country. My prayers are with all of you! ❤️
Thank you for such an eloquent lesson of Ukraine's history in such easy bite sizes of information. It is heart wrenching seeing what is happening - much love from Australia
As a Ukrainian myself, I'm from Kryviy Rih, the longest industrial city i can confirm you that people here speaks and adore Ukrainian language, those who is sure that Russian come first, think better twice. We have some territories where mostly you can hear Russian, but it's not common. I'm from, Russians like to call "Russian speaker city", just because not all talk Ukrainian in routine live. And my mother tongue it's always Ukrainian, and I'm also can speak Russian, English and German. So it's just another language i can speak, not my first not my last. Fun facts: Ukrainian language look alike more like Polish, Czech, Slovak and even Belarusian and not Russian. Hope now U realized. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦 Glory to Ukraine 🇺🇦
I feel like in the russian occupied parts of Ukraine (especially in Donbas) it is going to be very hard to convince those people to use Ukrainian over russian. But maybe my opinion is wrong, but I am basing it out of the Ukrainians I know from those regions. However, I know 2 Ukrainians from there who relocated to Kyiv after 2014, and now they don't use the russian language anymore. But I guess Ukrainians from those regions who stayed there after 2014 are going to be difficult to work with on the basis of giving up russian
Most of my new friends speak Russian even between themselves, but most are from N Ukraine (Kyiv and Charkiv). Just recently came a girl from Lviv who mainly speaks Ukrainian and talks FAST and with a dialect. My best friend said she had Russian as her first language and learnt Ukrainian at school and she now speaks “correct” Ukrainian, just like Swedes speak “correct” English as we learnt in “by the book”.
It breaks my heart to see this dedicated, charming, and very lovely teacher presenting her videos with such pain and sorrow in her eyes. Somehow it reminds me of the Ukrainian song Вона. Hopefully this weekend I will link up with some French journalists in Lviv and perhaps be of help there. I hope that soon enough you will be able to teach your students without any fear and sadness. Stay safe and take care, Inna! Слава Україні! Героям слава!
I am from New Zealand, and just recently got into Ukrainian. I have always thought about learning it, along with Russian. Anyway, keep safe! Lets pray for an end to the war.
If you look into it you'll find out that the two are very similar, the syntax is the same, grammar differs insignificantly. Ukrainian is very much like Russian with polonisms and germanisms.
Ordinary people should be free to speak the language they want, despite historical prohibitions and pressures. And this is applied to both Russian and Ukrainian language speaking people. One thing is promoting the use of the national language (that's great), another is negatively signalling those, who by cultural or family background, prefer to use Russian or even prefer to use both Russian and Ukrainian.
Thank you so much, Inna. From 1991 to 1996 I organised an annual exchange between Maidstone (UK) and Sumy (Ukraine). I am heartbroken by what has happened in your country, and I hope and pray that all my former acquaintances are safe. I am grateful to you for your very clear explanation about the language situation.
Hey, it's the first time i watched your video. I am polish, i used to learn russian, now i'm learning ukrainian. I would never say that ukrainian is a dialect of polish, let alone a dialect of russian. It's an independent language with its own quality and beauty. Compared to russian, It's much more beautiful! Sure, there are similarities like with all the slavic languages, but there are also big differences. Ukraine is an independent country with its own unique culture. That's my opinion and - as far as i know - the opinion of polish people in general. Please elaborate on ukrainian literature, i'm highly curious :) Stay safe and please continue teaching ukrainian and making these videos, it's very important!
Thank you for always uploading such helpful and informative videos! I started learning Ukrainian last year and was immediately so star struck by it! I fell in love with the language and culture. I hope you’re doing well and are safe Inna! Keeping the people of Ukraine in my prayers. Слава україні 💛🇺🇦
Those people who talk bad about the Ukrainian language are brainless and heartless, don't listen to them. Sending love and support from Malaysia 🇲🇾🇺🇦 even though the Ukrainian language isn't much heard in this part of the world, I think it's a very beautiful language, I saw president Zelensky speaking on posted videos. Watching your video, I can feel your heart and love for your language and it really touches me. Continue to teach and share your language, it's beautiful and don't lose it.
If some people in Ukraine want to speak russian, I don't find any problem with that. Many european countries have 2 or 3 official languages. Belgium, Ireland, Switzerland, Bosnia... Ukrainian far right groups need to grow up. Minority languages are protected in all civilized world. If Ukraine want to join EU in 20-30 years, they need to respect minority languages, just like they did with the tatar one. Not only russian, but also hungarian, polish, romanian, greek, jewish. Ukraine is a multi-ethnic country and has to accept this. There is nothing wrong with minorities speaking a different language.
@CipiRipi00Many countries have 2 or 3 official languages. The point is non Ukrainian citizens of Ukraine can't learn their own language in secondary education. Only Tatars have this privilege as "indigenous", although they are not indigenous. They invaded in Crimea in 12th century AD. It is unfair for other minorities, such as the Greek one, who are more indigenous than the Tatars.
But those countries are federations! Litetally unions of several small countries. In each part of federative county you must know their local official language. Ukraine is unitary country with ultimate majority of Ukrainians. Why should Ukrainians know the language of another country instead of Ukrainian language?
Thanks for this lesson Inna. The world needs to understand the roots of this situation better. I hope many people will learn the Ukrainian language and fall in love with Ukrainian culture. And I hope when the war is over and peace returns to Ukraine, many people will want to visit your country. I will be one of them. I think Irish people understand centuries of subjugation and control. That’s why Ireland is proud to support the Ukrainian people. Слава Україні 🇺🇦
My wife is one of your students here in the US and I am very proud of her for discovering and frequently communicating with them. You do a wonderful job doing what you do!! Keep up the good work and we will continue praying for you all and doing whatever we can to help. May the Lord God have mercy on you all and especially the safe keeping of your husband.
Thank you for telling us this short history of the Ukrainian peoples language and history. Even this short look into it shows its long history. Slava Ukraini!
I appreciate your channel a lot, I'm coming to Ukraine to help fight. (I'm not Ukrainian. I was just moved by the words and actions of you president.) Knowing the basics of speaking Ukrainian can save me from friendly fire. And other issues. I thank you, maybe one day I will shake your hand and thank you in person.
Hey Inna. I started learning Russian 3 years ago. Now I need to keep maintaining it so I can help the refugees coming across the border, but I fully plan on switching to Ukrainian when I have time to breathe. I'm so proud of your defiance over the past few days, you're an inspiring woman!
04:42 hmm but in Polish its called "małoruski" a nie "małorosyjski", where "ruski" it just ruthenian so Ukrainian & Belarusian were just little ruthenian languages for me when I learned about it (as a Pole of course). When I hear about "małoruski/ staroruski" I think about Ukrainian/ Belarusian or even Ruthenian and never of the Russian language which is "Rosyjski" a nie "Ruski" Of course for 98/99% of Poles Ruski to Rosyjski:/
I am Catalan. My people lives in Catalonia, divided between Spain and France. We have our national language, the catalan that was actively persecuted by the governments of these countries during centuries to erase our national identity. During the XIX spaniards saw that catalan language is just a dialect of the spanish, like zars with the ukrainian. They stated that my language is a language of peasants and that speak catalan is typical from rude and uneducated people. They also banned catalan and currently my language is discriminated in some social and government areas. Like Spain, Russia was born like an empire, from the Moscovian principate, not from the Rus kingdom as they say to justify its empire, and wanted to russificate other slavic people like Ukrainians, or Caucasians, Tatars and Ugro-finnics. When this people refuse it and fight for its identity , russians accuse them to be fascists and invade them. Ukraine survived to the zars, survived to Stalin. For this reason, I am sure that also Ukraine will survive to Putin, and some day will be a reunified country where people will be pround from the generation that are now fighting against the russian fascism and imperialism.
as a Russian, I can say that the people of Russia do not consider it right to invade and Russify. only Putin and his associates think so, but not the Russian people
I will support the brave Ukrainian people whereever I can- here in Germany now and in future in Ukraine when we rebuild your wonderful country together. So I started to learn Ukrainian and your channel helps me a lot (it‘ll be useful even though I‘m aware that many Ukrainians speak English very well). All the best for you. Слава Україні !
Thank you so much for explaining. Im working with ukrainian refugees so im trying to get as much info as i can and this video helped me alot to understand everyone better)
Hey, just find this channel. For a very long time I wanted to learn Russian after improving my skills in the Polish language. But now I think I am gonna learn the Ukrainian language instead. And if it is really a little more similar to Polish than it would be even easier for me so I am subscribing.
Polish has many similar words from Russian and Ukrainian. but I think the Polish language is much more similar to the Belarusian language, also Belarusians can understand Russian, Ukrainian, and Polish at the same time (due to similarities). I am Russian and I understand all 3 languages well
Thank you very much for this video, especially at this horrible time. You took a huge risk to come out of shelter and post this. My Mom's family is Ukrainian and came to Canada in 1912. I was told they were fleeing the russians then too. They came from a small village west of Lviv (Her family name was Маюк, spelled in Canada, Majuk or Mayuk). Sadly my Mom was brought up as "western". Her immediate family felt they had to hide their Ukrainian heritage to fit into "Canadian" life when they moved to Toronto from Winnipeg (Winnipeg is where many Ukrainians moved to and the culture is much greater there). I never learn very much from my Mom's family and only discovered more about them through researching my family tree. I started watching your channel recently and hope to learn the Ukrainian language and learn more about the history and culture. Be safe and I wish you all the best. Thank you!!! Слава Україні! 🇨🇦❤️🇺🇦
Слава Україні!!! Дуже дякую for this video Inna, i goes to show that many people do not liekt o read - especially history and linguistics. Its a shame because it would allow for a better understanding of all cultures, and perhaps a better attitude of people all around. My parents (both are of "small countries and cultures" that have survived oppression, destruction of culture and occupation and genocide) and I have met and befriended many Ukrainians working in the hospital labaratory and they have explained the things you have in this video. I wish for people to learn things about other places and cultures instead of asking awkward questions - then it would lead to better conversations and compassion between peoples, all the best! Героям слава!
I have been always interested learning Ukrainian. Once I am done with my A levels, apprenticeship and saving money I want to travel around Europe and maybe do work&travel in Ukraine.
Wow thank you so much for explaining this ,sad that it was how it happened but it was my question too for years working with russian and Ukrainian people . Thanks for your help to educate people
This is very interesting. I was born in Ukraine but we came to the US when I was 2. I never learned Ukrainian, I learned Russian in the church we attended. My mom said that we weren't allowed to speak Ukraine in Ukraine. I thought it's crazy. I feel like this with Spanish. My mom still spoke Ukrainian but only with her siblings and cousins. I didn't teach my kids because I can barely read or speak myself.
Tyle cierpienia i krzywdy wobec dumnego narodu. Życzę Wam i nam, żebyśmy już zawsze pielęgnowali tylko to, co nas łączy i uszlachetnia, a nie to było między nami złe. Zwyciężycie i odbudujecie swój kraj. Udowodniliście, że niepodległość i wolność jest Waszym przeznaczeniem. Sława Ukranie, słwawa prawdziwym bohaterom! 🇺🇦❤️🇵🇱
After watching your interview I am thinking of you every day. I want you to know you have people in this world who care about you and the Ukrainian people. Praying you and your loved ones are safe and that this is over soon.
Thank you for posting this! I learned Ukrainian in the Peace Corps and then they sent me to Kyrvyi Rih. I still insisted on speaking Ukrainian which some people supported and some people didn't. My only exception were the grandmothers in our apartment building. They had no choice in the language they learned and I didn't expect them to adapt to Ukrainian as such an age so I always greeted them in Russian.
Пані Інна, дякую вам за це чудове відео. Дійсно, зараз багатьом іноземцям, які не знайомі з історичними особливостями нашої нації - їм доволі важко пояснити чому ми так ревно відбиваємось від оцього обмазування російським культурним простором. Вони просто не знають, що це наше головне хобі, вік якого пішов вже на 5 сторіччя. Це як наша українська прошивка в ДНК, яку росія повсякчас хоче знищити. Ми ж не здаємося. І не здамося. Ніколи. Сили нам💪🏼 Слава Україні! 💙💛
I love you´re video! finally something I can show "non ukraine" speaking ppl to help them to understand the current situation ! One thing I would love to add. I joined school in year 2000 and this was the year where Ukraine language became the national language again as far I know? I had to learn ukraine langauge in south ukraine as soon I joined the school in year 2000^^
Thank you for what you do and the amazing content. As a Ukrainian, I do only know how to speak Russian, but ever since the start of the war I’ve been trying to learn Ukrainian, so thank you!
Thank you for giving us some history on Ukrainian language , you are so beautiful inside and out … I pray for the Ukrainian people to be delivered from this current Russian aggression.
Инно, не зовсім зрозуміла про українську мову у 1950-х - 1970-х. Она была под запретом? А как же мы с братом в детстве повторяли за Тарапунькой его реплики: "Два метри і три сантиметри, і спробуй перерости!" и "Те ж були труси мого діда!" В 1959-м вся Россия плакала под "Пісню про рушник". В 8-м классе на смотре художественной самодеятельности (1966 год) мы пели ту самую "Маричку", которую поют теперь в метро Харькова. В те же годы "Черемшина" звучала изо всех окон нашего города, а в 1970-х "Червона рута" была хитом. У "Самоцветов" пол-репертуара было на украинском. И все муз. группы исполняли те песни в своих концертах. Книжки тоже печатали, я читала "Забавне Євангеліє" на украинском, потому что настоящее действительно в СССР было не достать. В тех же 70-х нам по ошибке из Запорожья прислали техусловия для подключения сетей ВК на украинском, значит запрета на язык в республиках не было. Многие поэты и писатели в СССР были в немилости, не только украинские. Цензура была строгая. До 90-х годов в паспорте советского образца указывали национальность. У меня ещё сохранился азербайджанский советский паспорт на двух языках. Хотя конечно указать определённую национальность для детей от смешанных браков можно весьма условно. Мои дети говорят по-русски, а внуки уже на английском. Это их выбор. Какой язык слышат вокруг, на том и говорят.
Ей виднее, так как она все эти факты взяла из "надёжных" источников, а то, что написали Вы - это Ваше субъективное мнение))) Вообще конечно очень люблю наблюдать за тем, как люди, не жившие в то время, доказывают тем, кто там жил, как им на самом деле плохо жилось)
I just started to learn Ukrainian cause I want to understand all the news about Ukrainia and some day when it is safe to travel there, I will definately travel there 💙💛
Ten years from now, everyone will be eager to find out more about that new country joining the EU. You know, the one with that badass president that didn't abandon his capital even in the darkest hours.
It is also true that the cities and the urban populations were greatly Russified in the major cities during the imperial and Soviet period, despite most of the population is Ukrainian. Many Russians were also moved to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as miners. Meanwhile, during the Great Famine and other Soviet crimes against the Ukrainian people, the majority of Ukrainian-speaking peasantry were deprived of their traditional way of life. Hundreds of thousands escaped famine by moving to the cities where they would be unfortunately Russified. When westerners sympathetic to Russia complain about Ukrainian language policies, they forget that the Russification of these territories often happened at the expense of the Ukrainian people. It is sad that there are so much historical misconceptions.
No, you are terribly wrong, it is actually the opposite. Ukraine's second largest city was Russian, but the Soviet Government moved Ukrainians into the city during Ukrainization policy, they gave away Russian lands (Crimea, Donbass) and move Russians out of these cities. Ukrainian culture being suppressed during Soviet times is a myth and historical revisionism often spouted by Nationalists. Demographics of Kharkov 1897: 25.9% Ukrainian | *63.2% Russian* 1926: *38.6% Ukrainian* | 37.2% Russian 1939: *48.5% Ukrainian* | 32.9% Russian Demographics of Luhansk: 1897: 19.12% Ukrainian | *68.16% Russian* 2001: *50% Ukrainian* | 47% Russian
@@Rustycaddy17 Also we should not forget that Lvov was an ethnic Polish and Jewish city until the army of Bandera along with Germans changed its demographic structure. Ukrainian history is full of myths.
Here I am again. Cantonese had a different but similar history of suppression in Asia. 1. Because of the nature of the Chinese language family, modern Chinese languages probably gained stable phonology in recent centuries. The earliest written modern Cantonese, or the sounds of modern Cantonese, is probably seen in some 19th century antiques. Basically modern Cantonese still reflects a lot of Sinification through the centuries, and it was not purely a result of its Sinitic origin. Hundred Yue (Hundred Jyut) vocab, not derived from any form of ancient Chinese, has been limited and exclusive in Cantonese.
2. Unlike the Tsardom, the Ming and Qing Empires did not suppress languages in general, although they did policies of assimilation against ethnic minorities or wage wars against them. Ancient Chinese was an official all along, but Qing's conquest of China gave rise to Manchu as a new official language. However, the Manchus were far too few and were outnumbered by Han, so Manchu started to decline before 19th century. PRC since 1949 has inherited communism and nationalism from Europe (such as russian empires). At first it tried to promote local languages like the Soviets did, but then gradually promoted Mandarin at the expense of all others. 2a. Cantonese is still a more healthy language compared to many others. However, as I wrote before, many school children of Cantonese descent today probably don't speak it well/at all if they live in PRC. In HK, Cantonese has a large majority (90%+), as opposed to the rising minority of Mandarin (10%+), but is being displaced at the school level by Mandarin right now. In other words, the rise of Mandarin speakers in HK, purely a result of political and demographic influence, might mirror quite well the Russophones in Ukraine. I literally say this to my Ukrainian peers. Very different history, but to a similar effect.
You are right. Don't let the dictators kill your language. Ukraine is inspiring me to learn Ukrainian. I don't even know any Ukrainians. Keep fighting!
I'm from Odessa region. My first language is Ukrainian. At least three generations being living in and out of the city there. Every times things went to hell every family were gambling: you either go into metropolitain area and hope shit would pass you by, or you go to country area hoping shit will pass you by. This is region as well as eastern Ukraine of Donetsk was hit really hard by 1. WW1-Civil War 1914 - 1922 . 2. Starvation in 20ies. 3. Holodomor. 4. WW2. 5. Starvation after war. And still ethnic Ukrainian population of the region is around 60%, despite region being most multicultural of all (there are German village that dates back to mid 1700ths, way before Russian empire). Very deep trauma going back through generations, that people of western Ukraine hadn't experienced. Now here's the thing. If you were speaking Ukrainian you couldn't have hoped for any career in the city. You were simply discriminated. If you had your registration in some village there was no legal way to make career in the city (some people practiced "losing" their ID, but it was a gamble too). I was born late 80ies. And I had to speak Ukrainian only at my home. Going out to street I was supposed to speak russian, otherwise I was considered 2nd rate or simply lesser human being. Such societal pressure was pretty common in areas like Odessa, Kyiv, Kherson, Kharkiv, etc. Other ethnic minorities experienced same thing, but we ARE NOT MINORITY BY FAR, still being discriminated the most. It was very cold calculated policy of growing complacent population of "soviet man" - a type of person without identity, that is totally submissive to state ideology. And all that at the expense of identity, culture, history etc. Just think about it SATAE APPROVED DISCRIMINATION.
But wait, people in Odessa speak Russian, they belong to the Russian orthodox church, yet they are all Ukrainian? Sounds like a Montenegro story. To me Ukraine is just a geographical term and in Serbian it means Krajina - Borderline. To me Ukrainians and Russian are absolutely the same people and genetics proves that, but Ukraine was on the border of Poland, Lithuania, Austro-Hungary and because of that has multiple other influences. Can you explain how come people from Crimea unanimously support Russia, what is the difference between Odessa and Crimea?
I just want to let all of you know that authorities here in Romania, while incompetent at times, have promised to find Ukrainian language schools for children arriving with their parents as refugees.
Wow! Ukraine's been under Russia's agressive control over 400 hundred years. Gotta ask you couple of questions then.Are there any coins or something proving Ukraine that old? Why most Ukrainian cities were founded by Russian tsars? And could speak on Ukrainization process,please? That will explain the reason why the majority of people in your country speak weird "Spanglish" combination.Thank you.
Why Most ancient Russians citiez were founded by Mongol/Turkish leaders? Look for the 1897 census, Ukranian language was the majority everywhee including Donbass, Tanganrong and Kuban provinc in today Russia. Csn you explain for me that for example 65% of the people in Tangarong spoke Ukranian, while today less than 1% of people in Tangaranong speak it?
I am polish living in germany. In 2012 I visited my cousin in warsaw, because of EURO 2012. Then we travelled to Lviv. I´ve never heard ukrainian before. I was surprised how similiar it is to polish. I understood nearly everything. And my cousin got know his ukrainian wife there.
Hi! Some Brazilian cities are receiving some Ukrainian families during this sad times. Language has been the major issue for properly receiving these families. I am a polyglot myself and I am willing to give a shot on either Ukrainian or Russian. Which one do you think would be faster and helpful?
Russian, since Ukrainians still continue to speak it, and with them many refugees from Belarus come to Europe and America, who speak Russian (although Ukrainian is understood due to the similarity of languages). refugees from Russia, forced for political reasons due to disagreement with the war, speak only Russian and partly English
This was a very interesting historical video. I will add it to one of my playlists. I will add here that after the great famine in ukraine, a lot of Russian emigrated to the Eastern part of Ukraine (Zaporizhzhya, Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts), is that correct? It's not good that putin spoke about Catherine the Great in his recent video on international women's day.☹️ I have a more difficult question (I like to ask hard questions). Why don't more Ukrainians/Russians in the Russian-speaking part of Ukraine learn to speak Ukrainian? 🤔 Wouldn't this simple step have eliminated a lot of the conflict in Donbas region over the last 8 years?
All Ukrainians know and understand Russian. however, many Ukrainians have half or part Russian roots (especially in the south and east of Ukraine), and communication with Russian relatives or friends is possible only in Russian (since Russians do not speak Ukrainian). I will add that we have a lot of refugees from eastern Ukraine living in Russia (well, several million Ukrainians who have been working in Russia for a long time and live in two countries), but they continue to remember the Ukrainian language. for example, my best friend is a refugee from Donbass. he speaks Russian, but with friends who fled from the Donbass to Ukraine, he speaks Ukrainian
Privit Inna! Thank you for this important review about ukranian language and ukrainan history. We hope that you and your family are safe. Please take care of you . You must know that the majority of the states are acting to stop the war ,standing with Ukrania. In addition ,free minded citizens of the whole world are supporting Ukraina, doing their best to stop the war,speaking of Ukrania every day and all the time .Some examples :tv shows to inform and collect funds, national orchestras of each european country playing ukranian anthem in the same time ,and now bethore every concerts for many of them, Eiffel tower illuminated in yellow and blue, Ukranian anthem played every day in Lyon town hall square, played also before every football matches in Marseille, and so many other actions of ordinary citizens... Dont give up,keep strong! Slava Ukrania,!🇺🇦
FANTASTIC video! You are so well composed, intelligent and beautiful. I am trying to learn your language as a way to show my support for Ukraine against Putins current attempt of genocide against you.
They are not ukranians, they are russians. And Ukraine forbids them to speak russian. Zelenesky spoke russian all his life and supported russian language, now he released law that bans russian language in Ukraine.
@@kiriso_oneka TV and newspapers in russian are banned. Russian schools closed. Ethnic russians are considered non-native population of Ukraine by new law. You can speak russian, but soon they will take that away.
The Soviets didn’t occupy Ukraine. Ukraine was a part of the USSR and was an equal partner in everything Soviet. Brejnev (Soviet leader for 18 years) was Ukrainian. Soviet leadership and top politicians were always full of Ukrainians. And if Ukrainians were so oppressed, why did 81.7% vote to remain a part of the Soviet Union in 1991 (see 1991 Soviet referendum Ukrainian vote). Even when the Soviets took over half of Poland in 1939, they essentially took over the part with a Ukrainian majority and added that territory to the Ukrainian SSR, allowing all Ukrainians to live in one united country for the first time in hundreds of years.
Also it’s interesting that you say it was under Russia for 400 years. That statement isn’t very accurate. Firstly it suggests that Ukraine was independent 400 years ago. That it not the case: it was occupied by the Mongols, the Lithuanians, the Polish for hundreds of years before that. In 1654 Bohdan Khmelnitky signed a treaty with Russia for military support, which became the turning point from a Polish controlled Ukraine to a Russian controlled Ukraine. It wasn’t for the full territory of Ukraine but it was a starting point. But that wasn’t even 400 years before Ukraine got independence in 1991, but only 343 years. After the partition of Poland in the 18th century, the Austrian empire got the west of Ukraine and the Russian empire got the east of Ukraine. Interestingly enough, unlike the fate of the Ukrainians in the Russian empire, the elite that ruled Galicia (western Ukraine) were Polish or Austrian, and local ruthenians (or as they are known Ukrainians) were only part of the peasant class. Simultaneously south-eastern Ukraine was under Ottoman rule and before that under the Crimean Khanate. That part of Ukraine was only conquered by Russia 1783. When southeastern Ukraine (wild fields) became safe for peasants to live in without risking being abducted into slavery by the Crimeans, it was settled by both Russians and Ukrainians as the Russian empire built cities in the area (Odessa, Dnipro, Mykolaiv). This area was collectively known as Malorussia (meaning little Russia) instead of Ukraine. It is also coincidentally the territory where most ethnic Russians of Ukraine and Russian speaking Ukrainians originate from.
I'm Polish, my boyfriend is Ukrainian. He speaks Polish really well and I started learning Ukrainan with your channel to talk with his relatives. Can't speak actually but I understand it. I fully support you, this war is a horror for us all. You, staying in your country and us, people in Poland reading news all the time and trying to help woman and children which arrived to Poland, seeing how little we can do. I'm glad to see you healthy. Great video! We are with you all with our hearts, thinking about Ukrainian people all the time.
🙏🤍🇵🇱❤️🙏💙🇺🇦💛🙏
@@unclefester831 LOL russian drunken soldiers cannot even keep Kherson and you are talking about attacking NATO? Put the vodka away, Ivan
Instead of hiding in Poland, your friend should fight for Ukraine. Maybe he'll have to anyway 'cause Poland is getting ready to invade Ukraine to grab its western part.
@@robinhood5935 lol, a nice russian projection in here
@@simongrushka983 I'm glad you like it. Enjoy yourself.
This is clearly filmed before current events. But the fact that she's still uploading means she is still alive, thank God!
My thoughts exactly. ❤️🙏🇺🇦
Yes! Thank God Inna @SpeakUkrainian is alive!
Inna I am glad that you are doing well, thanks for the update, Slava Ukraini 🙏🙏 peace ☮️🕊️ and love ❤️😘💖
Hi, 이나. I'm Korean. This video made me think of the history of Korea. So many things in common Ukraine and Korea, hearbreaking history.... Using Korean was prohibited, Publishing in Korean was banned by Japan only about 80 years ago... Thank you so much for this video, 이나. I pray for peace with all my heart in Ukraine and everyone's safety.
Slava Ukraine 🇺🇦
Slava Korea 🇰🇷
We also pray for your people, empathize with you. stay cool as you are ;) 대한민국의 평화와 번영을 기원합니다 (google translate, i hope it translated correctly)
Interestingly, Ukrainians prohibited speaking Hungarian in its western region, too. In the East Russian language and traditions were surpressed.
@@elg0rdo351 proofs?)))
So, not only I thought about it. I have been interested in Korea for a few years and noticed that our stories are similar and even mentalists. Also, we are alike because both of our nations are very musical (especially in singing).
It's embarrassing that I did not know much about Ukraine before, but thanks to this video, I learned a little about Ukraine's history.
I hope that peace will soon return to Ukraine.
It is not a very large amount, but I made a donation to Embassy of Ukraine in Japan.
You literally funded more death upon innocent people
I went to a Ukrainian language school in the 1970’s in Canada. I’ve lost much of the language but have been working hard the last few month…a beautiful language. Great video. Slava Ukraini. 🇨🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇨🇦
Heroyam Slawa!!!!
Героям слава
Вибачаюсь,але я не знаю як це писати по англійській мові
Ukraine exemplifies the fight for freedom. And they will succeed because they are adaptive, creative, and caring. Ukraine is the embodiment of freedom and grit over oppression and tyranny. The world is in their debt for their heroic example.
💙 Slava Ukraini 💛
Do you have Ukrainian descent? Rachinski sems to be Polish name :)
@@gorniklecznaman3414 yes, it is Polish however my Mother’s family is Ukrainian from Chernivtsy, and and Father’s family, who are Polish, were from the Lviv area. I’m Polish/Ukrainian but my roots are firmly in Ukraine. I’m proud of both sides; especially now.
Дякую за урок історії, мила Інна! Будь ласка, будьте максимально безпечні. Ми вас любимо!
I hope to visit Ukraine whenever it is safe to do so. Stay safe and take care of yourself, Inna! Pozdrowienia z Polski!
Ukraina wygra tę wojnę. Jestem tego pewny. ❤️🇺🇦❤️
Don't listen to those people who try to not give a value to the Ukrainian language, we are free to teach or learn even the languages which are not used anymore, like Latin or Phoenician who knows, it's something about passion for knowledge and learning not only for the benefits in this modern world, because if it's for only benefits we all have to forget our native languages and speak English! But no! We love our own native languages and will share them with this world, thank you Inna! You're well educated person. God bless you and your loved ones.
Привіт, Inna.
I'm very glad to see you keep doing a fantastic job! Well done!
The Ukrainian language is as beautiful and unique as its people. Besides, the people of Ukraine are very friendly and generous to guests and visitors. It is important to mention these are just a few reasons to learn how to speak this lovely language!
With that being said, I wish you and all Ukrainians a day filled with love, solidarity, and hope. Have a nice day and take care of yourself, Inna.
Слава Україні! 💛💙🕊
Героям слава🇺🇦🇺🇦
Hello, I am from Chile, I have the desire and the motivation to learn Ukrainian. Do not let the Ukrainian language die, it is very beautiful. A strong hug.
I am Ukrainian raised in the USA and my family refused to teach me Ukrainian because of the Russian aggression. I have been learning Ukrainian from you for a while now. Thank you.
@Dimitry Russkiy 🇷🇺 "Z"V" russian language is a language of murderers and fascists, so, russian, go to russia and keep yourself shut there
@Dimitry Russkiy 🇷🇺 "Z"V" Thank you for identifying yourself as a utilitarian Machiavellian. Altruistic humanitarians beware the cultural genocide of Russification!
@Dimitry Russkiy 🇷🇺 "Z"V" Why would people want to go there
@Dimitry Russkiy 🇷🇺 "Z"V" I have been living outside Poland for 15 years now and ask same question lol
@Dimitry Russkiy 🇷🇺 "Z"V" Relax, just keep calm, have more friends is always better than single enemy. I'm sure that just her personal opinion, in fact, she don't have any purpose going to there, for now, who knows in future 🙂
Great video. I am 30 years old from Poland, was learning Russian at school next to English, and today I can follow media in Russian and hold a conversation on a relatively good level. But to be honest, since the war started, I am more and more interested in learning Ukrainian. I enjoy the sound, I have Ukrainian friends, and even more important - it is a language of heroes. People will be talking for years about your bravery and the sound of Ukrainian will be associated with courage, pure heart, and strength. I wish you all the best, and please continue your work. Slava Ukraini!
Hahahahahaha, a brainwashed one.
@@martinmichelalcudiatorres2425 hahah fucked up one , berezka shit
It is the nation that sold out it's population for a unneccessary proxy war the US/NATO had been fostering for at least 30 years, if not longer. Kind of like the usuful idiot of f the EU nuland. I think loosing this war, and poland also loosing this war, will make the whole world hate both polish and ukraine for being traitors to the slavic race, which is ultimately their (linguistic) if not genetic origin.
as a Ukrainian American your channel has helped me stay connected to my roots and helped me stop speaking surzhik as much. stay safe! Slava Ukrayini
It happened with India too but we are still fighting. Britishers ruled us for 190 years and they even changed our history, but in recent times many great historians are writing books exposing them.
You guys are going through a rough time, keep on pushing hard, one day you all will be much appreciated.
They did the same thing in Ireland which is still partly occupied by Britain. Modern Brits are lovely people but historically not so much, & the settlers in the north of Ireland are perhaps similar to east of Ukraine. I.e. it's not their descendants' fault but they should celebrate their culture without dividing the nation where they now live.
Every empire does this, not just the British or the Russian. My country was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire for 500 years. They have not been able to change our language and religion significantly, but culturally they have largely succeeded.
Pressure your government to reverse its abstention votes in the UN on issues of Russian aggression. In these times it appears as covert support of Russia.
Before Britishers only 15 percent of people had right to study which are upper caste hindus or rich Muslims(women not included)...although Britishers did economical damage to us (indians)...but they made education accessible to all people...all people could study and get educated(only for there greedy purpose to slave us )but it benefits all other people who weren't allowed to study due to social inequality, gender or religion....and if you gonna talk about hindi...than just read history and reports about how many Indians actually speak hindi....
Привет!
(English text below)
Я учусь на востоковеда, так что отчасти лингвист (мовознавець, кажется?), хоть и в основном занимаюсь восточными языками. Но имея те знания, которые получила в университете, прекрасно понимаю, что украинский язык - никакой не диалект, самостоятельный язык, национальный язык Украины, который нужно развивать и поддерживать.
Кстати, даже на территории России некоторые слабые республики уже начинают потихоньку утрачивать свои национальные языки. У меня парень калмык, он знает на своем языке лишь пару слов. Если о других славянских странах: многие белорусы же вообще не говорят на своём языке. Культурная идентичность ослабевает.
Очевидно, почему многие украинцы сейчас перешли на украинский. Мне нравятся украинский язык, особенно песни, я по ним уже даже немного разобралась в фонетике. Многие русские могут понимать украинскую речь, ведь славянские языки похожи, но на то они и языки, что развивались самостоятельно! А те, кто называют их "диалектами" - глупы. Пусть книги по языкознанию читают.
Hey!
My major is oriental studies, so I'm a bit of a linguist (мовознавець, I guess?), although I'm mostly into oriental languages. But considering the knowledge that I got at the university, I perfectly understand that the Ukrainian language is not a dialect, an independent language, the national language of Ukraine, which needs to be developed and supported.
By the way, even on the territory of Russia, some weak republics have already begun to lose their national languages. My boyfriend is Kalmyk, he knows only few words in his language. Talking about Slavic countries: many people in Belarus don't speak their own language at all. Cultural identity is vanishing.
It is obvious why many Ukrainians have now switched to Ukrainian completely. I like the Ukrainian language, especially the songs, I even got a little understanding of phonetics from listening to them. Many Russians can understand Ukrainian, because the Slavic languages are similar, but they ARE languages that have been developed on their own! And those who call them "dialects" are stupid. Let them read books on linguistics.
Unfortunately, those people aren’t stupid, they are doing it on purpose in propaganda to justify their aggression to their people and to try to gaslight the world to keep them from helping Ukraine 🇺🇦
I’m Norwegian and learning Ukrainian. I went to Ukraine for the first time late last year to adopt my beautiful dog and I loved it, even though it was a little bit scary also. I want to go back in the future but then I want to speak Ukrainian and learn more about your culture. Thank you so much Inna for making these videos, they are very useful to me! You’re a great teacher 🇺🇦🙌
You know what I so much admire? That after all the years of occupation the ukranians never lost/gave up their culture. It would have been so easy to just submit but they never did and therefore experience so much suffer. Similar to Estonia.
I love those videos! I’m from the Netherlands and I wanna learn Ukrainian so bad! Tysm for making those videos keep going!!❤️
Wenn eine Fremdsprache lernen willst, du muss ein gute Methode haben.
Thanks!
Historia usuwania języka ukraińskiego brzmi jak rusyfikacja polskich obszarów. Tym bardziej całym sercem wspieramy Twoją walkę o własny język, o własny kraj i wolność. Wiemy, że płacicie za to ogromną cenę, dlatego pomagamy jak możemy. Dziękuję, że publikujesz takie treści i niesiesz język ukraiński w świat. Trzymaj się!
Brilliant video, Inna! Bravo! 🇺🇦
Ukraine is not unique. Catalan is not a dialect of Spanish. Galician is not a dialect of Portuguese. Serbian and Croatian are mutually understandable but distinct dialects/languages and the same goes for Macedonian and Bulgarian. India and Africa have similar problems. The more important question is whether to learn Ukrainian or Russian. For the most part, Russian is more relevant.
我們同是受壓迫的民族😢
希望有天我們都能過上自己所希望的生活！
來自台灣的祝福
謝謝台灣人。
烏克蘭人民與你同在。我們知道中國想摧毀你們，所以我們祈禱這不會發生。
祝你平安。(Google translate)
Taiwan is China
中華民族已經不受外國列強壓迫了
Taiwan is China.
台灣人+1，台灣受到中國壓迫，像是烏克蘭受到俄羅斯壓迫
Привiт, Inna! Thank you so much for this history lesson. I wish the entire world could see this video. I understand the importance of a language to a country’s culture (my home is bilingual). I will do my best to support you and your country. My prayers are with all of you! ❤️
Thank you for such an eloquent lesson of Ukraine's history in such easy bite sizes of information. It is heart wrenching seeing what is happening - much love from Australia
As a Ukrainian myself, I'm from Kryviy Rih, the longest industrial city i can confirm you that people here speaks and adore Ukrainian language, those who is sure that Russian come first, think better twice. We have some territories where mostly you can hear Russian, but it's not common. I'm from, Russians like to call "Russian speaker city", just because not all talk Ukrainian in routine live. And my mother tongue it's always Ukrainian, and I'm also can speak Russian, English and German. So it's just another language i can speak, not my first not my last.
Fun facts: Ukrainian language look alike more like Polish, Czech, Slovak and even Belarusian and not Russian.
Hope now U realized.
Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦
Glory to Ukraine 🇺🇦
I feel like in the russian occupied parts of Ukraine (especially in Donbas) it is going to be very hard to convince those people to use Ukrainian over russian. But maybe my opinion is wrong, but I am basing it out of the Ukrainians I know from those regions.
However, I know 2 Ukrainians from there who relocated to Kyiv after 2014, and now they don't use the russian language anymore. But I guess Ukrainians from those regions who stayed there after 2014 are going to be difficult to work with on the basis of giving up russian
Most of my new friends speak Russian even between themselves, but most are from N Ukraine (Kyiv and Charkiv). Just recently came a girl from Lviv who mainly speaks Ukrainian and talks FAST and with a dialect.
My best friend said she had Russian as her first language and learnt Ukrainian at school and she now speaks “correct” Ukrainian, just like Swedes speak “correct” English as we learnt in “by the book”.
It breaks my heart to see this dedicated, charming, and very lovely teacher presenting her videos with such pain and sorrow in her eyes. Somehow it reminds me of the Ukrainian song Вона. Hopefully this weekend I will link up with some French journalists in Lviv and perhaps be of help there. I hope that soon enough you will be able to teach your students without any fear and sadness. Stay safe and take care, Inna!
Слава Україні! Героям слава!
I am from New Zealand, and just recently got into Ukrainian. I have always thought about learning it, along with Russian. Anyway, keep safe! Lets pray for an end to the war.
If you look into it you'll find out that the two are very similar, the syntax is the same, grammar differs insignificantly. Ukrainian is very much like Russian with polonisms and germanisms.
Thankyou Inna, insightful amd brings understanding. Love to you, hope you are well.
Ordinary people should be free to speak the language they want, despite historical prohibitions and pressures. And this is applied to both Russian and Ukrainian language speaking people. One thing is promoting the use of the national language (that's great), another is negatively signalling those, who by cultural or family background, prefer to use Russian or even prefer to use both Russian and Ukrainian.
I guess you didn't understand the point with this whole video.
I agree with you!
I have no problem with you teaching the Ukrainian language. I am very grateful that you do because I have learnt a lot from you. Please keep it up.
Thank you so much, Inna. From 1991 to 1996 I organised an annual exchange between Maidstone (UK) and Sumy (Ukraine). I am heartbroken by what has happened in your country, and I hope and pray that all my former acquaintances are safe. I am grateful to you for your very clear explanation about the language situation.
Hey, it's the first time i watched your video. I am polish, i used to learn russian, now i'm learning ukrainian. I would never say that ukrainian is a dialect of polish, let alone a dialect of russian. It's an independent language with its own quality and beauty. Compared to russian, It's much more beautiful! Sure, there are similarities like with all the slavic languages, but there are also big differences. Ukraine is an independent country with its own unique culture. That's my opinion and - as far as i know - the opinion of polish people in general.
Please elaborate on ukrainian literature, i'm highly curious :)
Stay safe and please continue teaching ukrainian and making these videos, it's very important!
Thank you for always uploading such helpful and informative videos! I started learning Ukrainian last year and was immediately so star struck by it! I fell in love with the language and culture.
I hope you’re doing well and are safe Inna! Keeping the people of Ukraine in my prayers. Слава україні 💛🇺🇦
It'd be nice to hear updates about the situation there from someone we trust like you Inna.
Those people who talk bad about the Ukrainian language are brainless and heartless, don't listen to them.
Sending love and support from Malaysia 🇲🇾🇺🇦 even though the Ukrainian language isn't much heard in this part of the world, I think it's a very beautiful language, I saw president Zelensky speaking on posted videos.
Watching your video, I can feel your heart and love for your language and it really touches me. Continue to teach and share your language, it's beautiful and don't lose it.
Thank you, Inna. 🇺🇦
Ukrainian is a wonderful language along with Belarusian.
If some people in Ukraine want to speak russian, I don't find any problem with that. Many european countries have 2 or 3 official languages. Belgium, Ireland, Switzerland, Bosnia... Ukrainian far right groups need to grow up. Minority languages are protected in all civilized world. If Ukraine want to join EU in 20-30 years, they need to respect minority languages, just like they did with the tatar one. Not only russian, but also hungarian, polish, romanian, greek, jewish. Ukraine is a multi-ethnic country and has to accept this. There is nothing wrong with minorities speaking a different language.
@CipiRipi00Many countries have 2 or 3 official languages. The point is non Ukrainian citizens of Ukraine can't learn their own language in secondary education. Only Tatars have this privilege as "indigenous", although they are not indigenous. They invaded in Crimea in 12th century AD. It is unfair for other minorities, such as the Greek one, who are more indigenous than the Tatars.
But those countries are federations! Litetally unions of several small countries. In each part of federative county you must know their local official language. Ukraine is unitary country with ultimate majority of Ukrainians. Why should Ukrainians know the language of another country instead of Ukrainian language?
Thanks for this lesson Inna. The world needs to understand the roots of this situation better.
I hope many people will learn the Ukrainian language and fall in love with Ukrainian culture. And I hope when the war is over and peace returns to Ukraine, many people will want to visit your country. I will be one of them.
I think Irish people understand centuries of subjugation and control. That’s why Ireland is proud to support the Ukrainian people.
Слава Україні 🇺🇦
My wife is one of your students here in the US and I am very proud of her for discovering and frequently communicating with them. You do a wonderful job doing what you do!! Keep up the good work and we will continue praying for you all and doing whatever we can to help. May the Lord God have mercy on you all and especially the safe keeping of your husband.
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the holodomor effected Most southern regions of the ussr not just “soviet Ukraine”
Kuban area was ethnically Ukrainian.....not part of ukraine
Your passion and emotion for your country really shows in this video. I hope for peace and prosperity for you and all Ukraine. God bless you.
So much appreciate to you, Inna for your position and wonderful channel! Thanks a lot!
Real question is, why do so many Ukrainians (even their ancestors) never spoke Ukrainian their whole lives?
Они его сами не знают😂
Vi ste zaista Velik narod. U tako dugom kulturocidu održali ste svoj identitet. Pratim Vas iz Hrvatske.
Ma isto kao i vi od Srba. Jeste jedan narod pa zaboravili ste sve sta bilo jedno za vama
Thank you for telling us this short history of the Ukrainian peoples language and history. Even this short look into it shows its long history. Slava Ukraini!
Such a great video with a good explanation! Thank you for your job!
Дякую за історичний урок.
I appreciate your channel a lot, I'm coming to Ukraine to help fight. (I'm not Ukrainian. I was just moved by the words and actions of you president.)
Knowing the basics of speaking Ukrainian can save me from friendly fire. And other issues. I thank you, maybe one day I will shake your hand and thank you in person.
Hey Inna. I started learning Russian 3 years ago. Now I need to keep maintaining it so I can help the refugees coming across the border, but I fully plan on switching to Ukrainian when I have time to breathe. I'm so proud of your defiance over the past few days, you're an inspiring woman!
same here, that is also my plan
04:42 hmm but in Polish its called "małoruski" a nie "małorosyjski", where "ruski" it just ruthenian so Ukrainian & Belarusian were just little ruthenian languages for me when I learned about it (as a Pole of course). When I hear about "małoruski/ staroruski" I think about Ukrainian/ Belarusian or even Ruthenian and never of the Russian language which is "Rosyjski" a nie "Ruski" Of course for 98/99% of Poles Ruski to Rosyjski:/
I am Catalan. My people lives in Catalonia, divided between Spain and France. We have our national language,
the catalan that was actively persecuted by the governments of these countries during centuries to erase our national identity. During the XIX spaniards saw that catalan language is just a dialect of the spanish, like zars with the ukrainian. They stated that my language is a language of peasants and that speak catalan is typical from rude and uneducated people. They also banned catalan and currently my language is discriminated in some social and government areas. Like Spain, Russia was born like an empire, from the Moscovian principate, not from the Rus kingdom as they say to justify its empire, and wanted to russificate other slavic people like Ukrainians, or Caucasians, Tatars and Ugro-finnics. When this people refuse it and fight for its identity , russians accuse them to be fascists and invade them.
Ukraine survived to the zars, survived to Stalin. For this reason, I am sure that also Ukraine will survive to Putin, and some day will be a reunified country where people will be pround from the generation that are now fighting against the russian fascism and imperialism.
as a Russian, I can say that the people of Russia do not consider it right to invade and Russify. only Putin and his associates think so, but not the Russian people
I live in Catalunya, beautiful place! And no war thanks god!
All Languages and cultures deserve to be support by finances and law!
I will support the brave Ukrainian people whereever I can- here in Germany now and in future in Ukraine when we rebuild your wonderful country together. So I started to learn Ukrainian and your channel helps me a lot (it‘ll be useful even though I‘m aware that many Ukrainians speak English very well). All the best for you. Слава Україні !
I've been speaking Russian all my life, and for the first time ever, I would like to learn how to speak Ukranian fluently.
❤️
Why tho? Why did your parents never teach you UKrainian? Sounds crazy to me.
@@katarzynaidzikowska4209 same reason her grandparents didn't teach her parents.
@@irynazhylyak179 what is the reason? Why were they scared to teach her?
@@katarzynaidzikowska4209 Born and raised in the Soviet Union that's why. Nobody really spoke Ukranian back then.
Thank you so much for explaining. Im working with ukrainian refugees so im trying to get as much info as i can and this video helped me alot to understand everyone better)
Hey, just find this channel. For a very long time I wanted to learn Russian after improving my skills in the Polish language. But now I think I am gonna learn the Ukrainian language instead. And if it is really a little more similar to Polish than it would be even easier for me so I am subscribing.
Polish has many similar words from Russian and Ukrainian. but I think the Polish language is much more similar to the Belarusian language, also Belarusians can understand Russian, Ukrainian, and Polish at the same time (due to similarities). I am Russian and I understand all 3 languages well
@@b.n.d.5880 you on vpn?
@@yodudewassup14 no)))
Thank you very much for this video, especially at this horrible time. You took a huge risk to come out of shelter and post this. My Mom's family is Ukrainian and came to Canada in 1912. I was told they were fleeing the russians then too. They came from a small village west of Lviv (Her family name was Маюк, spelled in Canada, Majuk or Mayuk). Sadly my Mom was brought up as "western". Her immediate family felt they had to hide their Ukrainian heritage to fit into "Canadian" life when they moved to Toronto from Winnipeg (Winnipeg is where many Ukrainians moved to and the culture is much greater there). I never learn very much from my Mom's family and only discovered more about them through researching my family tree. I started watching your channel recently and hope to learn the Ukrainian language and learn more about the history and culture. Be safe and I wish you all the best. Thank you!!! Слава Україні! 🇨🇦❤️🇺🇦
Good timing for this video, hope it being uploaded means you are safe
Слава Україні!!! Дуже дякую for this video Inna, i goes to show that many people do not liekt o read - especially history and linguistics. Its a shame because it would allow for a better understanding of all cultures, and perhaps a better attitude of people all around. My parents (both are of "small countries and cultures" that have survived oppression, destruction of culture and occupation and genocide) and I have met and befriended many Ukrainians working in the hospital labaratory and they have explained the things you have in this video. I wish for people to learn things about other places and cultures instead of asking awkward questions - then it would lead to better conversations and compassion between peoples, all the best! Героям слава!
Дякую, те, що треба! ❤❤❤
Great exposure of history and suffering,Ina keep up that great Work👍
I have been always interested learning Ukrainian. Once I am done with my A levels, apprenticeship and saving money I want to travel around Europe and maybe do work&travel in Ukraine.
Wow thank you so much for explaining this ,sad that it was how it happened but it was my question too for years working with russian and Ukrainian people . Thanks for your help to educate people
This is very interesting. I was born in Ukraine but we came to the US when I was 2. I never learned Ukrainian, I learned Russian in the church we attended. My mom said that we weren't allowed to speak Ukraine in Ukraine. I thought it's crazy. I feel like this with Spanish. My mom still spoke Ukrainian but only with her siblings and cousins. I didn't teach my kids because I can barely read or speak myself.
What does she think of the war in Ukraine?
Tyle cierpienia i krzywdy wobec dumnego narodu. Życzę Wam i nam, żebyśmy już zawsze pielęgnowali tylko to, co nas łączy i uszlachetnia, a nie to było między nami złe. Zwyciężycie i odbudujecie swój kraj. Udowodniliście, że niepodległość i wolność jest Waszym przeznaczeniem. Sława Ukranie, słwawa prawdziwym bohaterom! 🇺🇦❤️🇵🇱
After watching your interview I am thinking of you every day. I want you to know you have people in this world who care about you and the Ukrainian people. Praying you and your loved ones are safe and that this is over soon.
Thank you for this very informative video. I pray for your safety and victory for Ukraine 🇺🇦.
Thank you for educating us on so many Ukrainian topics. I'm very appreciative of this!!!!!
Keep up the great work!! Looking forward to starting your program
Дякую за відео 👍👏
Thank you for teaching.
Thank you for posting this! I learned Ukrainian in the Peace Corps and then they sent me to Kyrvyi Rih. I still insisted on speaking Ukrainian which some people supported and some people didn't. My only exception were the grandmothers in our apartment building. They had no choice in the language they learned and I didn't expect them to adapt to Ukrainian as such an age so I always greeted them in Russian.
Пані Інна, дякую вам за це чудове відео. Дійсно, зараз багатьом іноземцям, які не знайомі з історичними особливостями нашої нації - їм доволі важко пояснити чому ми так ревно відбиваємось від оцього обмазування російським культурним простором. Вони просто не знають, що це наше головне хобі, вік якого пішов вже на 5 сторіччя.
Це як наша українська прошивка в ДНК, яку росія повсякчас хоче знищити.
Ми ж не здаємося. І не здамося. Ніколи.
Сили нам💪🏼
Слава Україні!
💙💛
Згодна з Вами!
I love you´re video! finally something I can show "non ukraine" speaking ppl to help them to understand the current situation ! One thing I would love to add. I joined school in year 2000 and this was the year where Ukraine language became the national language again as far I know? I had to learn ukraine langauge in south ukraine as soon I joined the school in year 2000^^
Thank you for what you do and the amazing content. As a Ukrainian, I do only know how to speak Russian, but ever since the start of the war I’ve been trying to learn Ukrainian, so thank you!
Thank you for giving us some history on Ukrainian language , you are so beautiful inside and out … I pray for the Ukrainian people to be delivered from this current Russian aggression.
Merci beaucoup Inna, you're making important videos
Инно, не зовсім зрозуміла про українську мову у 1950-х - 1970-х. Она была под запретом? А как же мы с братом в детстве повторяли за Тарапунькой его реплики: "Два метри і три сантиметри, і спробуй перерости!" и "Те ж були труси мого діда!"
В 1959-м вся Россия плакала под "Пісню про рушник". В 8-м классе на смотре художественной самодеятельности (1966 год) мы пели ту самую "Маричку", которую поют теперь в метро Харькова. В те же годы "Черемшина" звучала изо всех окон нашего города, а в 1970-х "Червона рута" была хитом. У "Самоцветов" пол-репертуара было на украинском. И все муз. группы исполняли те песни в своих концертах.
Книжки тоже печатали, я читала "Забавне Євангеліє" на украинском, потому что настоящее действительно в СССР было не достать. В тех же 70-х нам по ошибке из Запорожья прислали техусловия для подключения сетей ВК на украинском, значит запрета на язык в республиках не было. Многие поэты и писатели в СССР были в немилости, не только украинские. Цензура была строгая.
До 90-х годов в паспорте советского образца указывали национальность. У меня ещё сохранился азербайджанский советский паспорт на двух языках. Хотя конечно указать определённую национальность для детей от смешанных браков можно весьма условно. Мои дети говорят по-русски, а внуки уже на английском. Это их выбор. Какой язык слышат вокруг, на том и говорят.
Ей виднее, так как она все эти факты взяла из "надёжных" источников, а то, что написали Вы - это Ваше субъективное мнение))) Вообще конечно очень люблю наблюдать за тем, как люди, не жившие в то время, доказывают тем, кто там жил, как им на самом деле плохо жилось)
I just started to learn Ukrainian cause I want to understand all the news about Ukrainia and some day when it is safe to travel there, I will definately travel there 💙💛
Ten years from now, everyone will be eager to find out more about that new country joining the EU. You know, the one with that badass president that didn't abandon his capital even in the darkest hours.
It is also true that the cities and the urban populations were greatly Russified in the major cities during the imperial and Soviet period, despite most of the population is Ukrainian. Many Russians were also moved to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as miners. Meanwhile, during the Great Famine and other Soviet crimes against the Ukrainian people, the majority of Ukrainian-speaking peasantry were deprived of their traditional way of life. Hundreds of thousands escaped famine by moving to the cities where they would be unfortunately Russified. When westerners sympathetic to Russia complain about Ukrainian language policies, they forget that the Russification of these territories often happened at the expense of the Ukrainian people. It is sad that there are so much historical misconceptions.
No, you are terribly wrong, it is actually the opposite. Ukraine's second largest city was Russian, but the Soviet Government moved Ukrainians into the city during Ukrainization policy, they gave away Russian lands (Crimea, Donbass) and move Russians out of these cities. Ukrainian culture being suppressed during Soviet times is a myth and historical revisionism often spouted by Nationalists.
Demographics of Kharkov
1897: 25.9% Ukrainian | *63.2% Russian*
1926: *38.6% Ukrainian* | 37.2% Russian
1939: *48.5% Ukrainian* | 32.9% Russian
Demographics of Luhansk:
1897: 19.12% Ukrainian | *68.16% Russian*
2001: *50% Ukrainian* | 47% Russian
@@Rustycaddy17 Also we should not forget that Lvov was an ethnic Polish and Jewish city until the army of Bandera along with Germans changed its demographic structure. Ukrainian history is full of myths.
@@emreertan2295 indeed, they constantly rewrite the history of Rus’ and claim that Russians are not Slavs, it’s so disgusting.
@@Rustycaddy17 they claim that russians are turks or tatars. Ukr nationalists arer pure racists. By the way i am also turkish.
Thank you for this video. Warm greetings from Poland !!!!
Here I am again. Cantonese had a different but similar history of suppression in Asia.
1. Because of the nature of the Chinese language family, modern Chinese languages probably gained stable phonology in recent centuries. The earliest written modern Cantonese, or the sounds of modern Cantonese, is probably seen in some 19th century antiques. Basically modern Cantonese still reflects a lot of Sinification through the centuries, and it was not purely a result of its Sinitic origin. Hundred Yue (Hundred Jyut) vocab, not derived from any form of ancient Chinese, has been limited and exclusive in Cantonese.
2. Unlike the Tsardom, the Ming and Qing Empires did not suppress languages in general, although they did policies of assimilation against ethnic minorities or wage wars against them. Ancient Chinese was an official all along, but Qing's conquest of China gave rise to Manchu as a new official language. However, the Manchus were far too few and were outnumbered by Han, so Manchu started to decline before 19th century. PRC since 1949 has inherited communism and nationalism from Europe (such as russian empires). At first it tried to promote local languages like the Soviets did, but then gradually promoted Mandarin at the expense of all others.
2a. Cantonese is still a more healthy language compared to many others. However, as I wrote before, many school children of Cantonese descent today probably don't speak it well/at all if they live in PRC. In HK, Cantonese has a large majority (90%+), as opposed to the rising minority of Mandarin (10%+), but is being displaced at the school level by Mandarin right now.
In other words, the rise of Mandarin speakers in HK, purely a result of political and demographic influence, might mirror quite well the Russophones in Ukraine. I literally say this to my Ukrainian peers. Very different history, but to a similar effect.
Such an epic video! My friends from Kyiv taught me about katsaps lol!
You are right. Don't let the dictators kill your language. Ukraine is inspiring me to learn Ukrainian. I don't even know any Ukrainians. Keep fighting!
Little Russia- Malorussia was the name of the territory before it got the name of the Ukraine.
Key word - "Was".
I'm from Odessa region. My first language is Ukrainian. At least three generations being living in and out of the city there. Every times things went to hell every family were gambling: you either go into metropolitain area and hope shit would pass you by, or you go to country area hoping shit will pass you by. This is region as well as eastern Ukraine of Donetsk was hit really hard by 1. WW1-Civil War 1914 - 1922 . 2. Starvation in 20ies. 3. Holodomor. 4. WW2. 5. Starvation after war. And still ethnic Ukrainian population of the region is around 60%, despite region being most multicultural of all (there are German village that dates back to mid 1700ths, way before Russian empire). Very deep trauma going back through generations, that people of western Ukraine hadn't experienced.
Now here's the thing. If you were speaking Ukrainian you couldn't have hoped for any career in the city. You were simply discriminated. If you had your registration in some village there was no legal way to make career in the city (some people practiced "losing" their ID, but it was a gamble too). I was born late 80ies. And I had to speak Ukrainian only at my home. Going out to street I was supposed to speak russian, otherwise I was considered 2nd rate or simply lesser human being. Such societal pressure was pretty common in areas like Odessa, Kyiv, Kherson, Kharkiv, etc. Other ethnic minorities experienced same thing, but we ARE NOT MINORITY BY FAR, still being discriminated the most. It was very cold calculated policy of growing complacent population of "soviet man" - a type of person without identity, that is totally submissive to state ideology. And all that at the expense of identity, culture, history etc.
Just think about it SATAE APPROVED DISCRIMINATION.
But wait, people in Odessa speak Russian, they belong to the Russian orthodox church, yet they are all Ukrainian? Sounds like a Montenegro story. To me Ukraine is just a geographical term and in Serbian it means Krajina - Borderline. To me Ukrainians and Russian are absolutely the same people and genetics proves that, but Ukraine was on the border of Poland, Lithuania, Austro-Hungary and because of that has multiple other influences. Can you explain how come people from Crimea unanimously support Russia, what is the difference between Odessa and Crimea?
I just want to let all of you know that authorities here in Romania, while incompetent at times, have promised to find Ukrainian language schools for children arriving with their parents as refugees.
Wow! Ukraine's been under Russia's agressive control over 400 hundred years.
Gotta ask you couple of questions then.Are there any coins or something proving Ukraine that old? Why most Ukrainian cities were founded by Russian tsars? And could speak on Ukrainization process,please? That will explain the reason why the majority of people in your country speak weird "Spanglish" combination.Thank you.
Why Most ancient Russians citiez were founded by Mongol/Turkish leaders?
Look for the 1897 census, Ukranian language was the majority everywhee including Donbass, Tanganrong and Kuban provinc in today Russia.
Csn you explain for me that for example 65% of the people in Tangarong spoke Ukranian, while today less than 1% of people in Tangaranong speak it?
@@gabrielantonio5907have you already learnt a ukranian word "брехня"? It perfectly describes all the shit you"ve written
I am polish living in germany. In 2012 I visited my cousin in warsaw, because of EURO 2012. Then we travelled to Lviv. I´ve never heard ukrainian before. I was surprised how similiar it is to polish. I understood nearly everything. And my cousin got know his ukrainian wife there.
I am Ukrainian and get Polish as well! Only when there are a lot of "Sz" sound, I got confused
наша підтримка завжди з вами. Слава Україні 🇺🇦❤️🇺🇦
Hi! Some Brazilian cities are receiving some Ukrainian families during this sad times. Language has been the major issue for properly receiving these families. I am a polyglot myself and I am willing to give a shot on either Ukrainian or Russian. Which one do you think would be faster and helpful?
Russian, since Ukrainians still continue to speak it, and with them many refugees from Belarus come to Europe and America, who speak Russian (although Ukrainian is understood due to the similarity of languages). refugees from Russia, forced for political reasons due to disagreement with the war, speak only Russian and partly English
This was a very interesting historical video. I will add it to one of my playlists. I will add here that after the great famine in ukraine, a lot of Russian emigrated to the Eastern part of Ukraine (Zaporizhzhya, Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts), is that correct?
It's not good that putin spoke about Catherine the Great in his recent video on international women's day.☹️
I have a more difficult question (I like to ask hard questions). Why don't more Ukrainians/Russians in the Russian-speaking part of Ukraine learn to speak Ukrainian? 🤔 Wouldn't this simple step have eliminated a lot of the conflict in Donbas region over the last 8 years?
As Ukrainians, we all know and understand Ukrainian, and of course can speak 💙💛
All Ukrainians know and understand Russian. however, many Ukrainians have half or part Russian roots (especially in the south and east of Ukraine), and communication with Russian relatives or friends is possible only in Russian (since Russians do not speak Ukrainian). I will add that we have a lot of refugees from eastern Ukraine living in Russia (well, several million Ukrainians who have been working in Russia for a long time and live in two countries), but they continue to remember the Ukrainian language. for example, my best friend is a refugee from Donbass. he speaks Russian, but with friends who fled from the Donbass to Ukraine, he speaks Ukrainian
Privit Inna! Thank you for this important review about ukranian language and ukrainan history.
We hope that you and your family are safe. Please take care of you . You must know that the majority of the states are acting to stop the war ,standing with Ukrania. In addition ,free minded citizens of the whole world are supporting Ukraina, doing their best to stop the war,speaking of Ukrania every day and all the time .Some examples :tv shows to inform and collect funds, national orchestras of each european country playing ukranian anthem in the same time ,and now bethore every concerts for many of them, Eiffel tower illuminated in yellow and blue, Ukranian anthem played every day in Lyon town hall square, played also before every football matches in Marseille, and so many other actions of ordinary citizens...
Dont give up,keep strong!
Slava Ukrania,!🇺🇦
Thanks for this great article. After all, few foreigners know our history.
I read about this several days ago. What is being done now is not just taking away your language but innocent lives.
FANTASTIC video! You are so well composed, intelligent and beautiful. I am trying to learn your language as a way to show my support for Ukraine against Putins current attempt of genocide against you.
They are not ukranians, they are russians. And Ukraine forbids them to speak russian.
Zelenesky spoke russian all his life and supported russian language, now he released law that bans russian language in Ukraine.
Only in documents. We can speak russian in ordinary life as well
@@kiriso_oneka TV and newspapers in russian are banned. Russian schools closed. Ethnic russians are considered non-native population of Ukraine by new law.
You can speak russian, but soon they will take that away.
The Soviets didn’t occupy Ukraine. Ukraine was a part of the USSR and was an equal partner in everything Soviet. Brejnev (Soviet leader for 18 years) was Ukrainian. Soviet leadership and top politicians were always full of Ukrainians.
And if Ukrainians were so oppressed, why did 81.7% vote to remain a part of the Soviet Union in 1991 (see 1991 Soviet referendum Ukrainian vote).
Even when the Soviets took over half of Poland in 1939, they essentially took over the part with a Ukrainian majority and added that territory to the Ukrainian SSR, allowing all Ukrainians to live in one united country for the first time in hundreds of years.
Also it’s interesting that you say it was under Russia for 400 years. That statement isn’t very accurate. Firstly it suggests that Ukraine was independent 400 years ago. That it not the case: it was occupied by the Mongols, the Lithuanians, the Polish for hundreds of years before that. In 1654 Bohdan Khmelnitky signed a treaty with Russia for military support, which became the turning point from a Polish controlled Ukraine to a Russian controlled Ukraine. It wasn’t for the full territory of Ukraine but it was a starting point. But that wasn’t even 400 years before Ukraine got independence in 1991, but only 343 years. After the partition of Poland in the 18th century, the Austrian empire got the west of Ukraine and the Russian empire got the east of Ukraine.
Interestingly enough, unlike the fate of the Ukrainians in the Russian empire, the elite that ruled Galicia (western Ukraine) were Polish or Austrian, and local ruthenians (or as they are known Ukrainians) were only part of the peasant class.
Simultaneously south-eastern Ukraine was under Ottoman rule and before that under the Crimean Khanate. That part of Ukraine was only conquered by Russia 1783. When southeastern Ukraine (wild fields) became safe for peasants to live in without risking being abducted into slavery by the Crimeans, it was settled by both Russians and Ukrainians as the Russian empire built cities in the area (Odessa, Dnipro, Mykolaiv). This area was collectively known as Malorussia (meaning little Russia) instead of Ukraine. It is also coincidentally the territory where most ethnic Russians of Ukraine and Russian speaking Ukrainians originate from.