Білінгвізм та диглосія у студентському середовищі Києва

Abstract

Background. Much research has been devoted to the problem of language situation in Ukraine and in its capital Kyiv. In this study, we have focused on functioning of the Ukrainian and Russian languages in formal and informal communication of young people. Purpose. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the language behavior of the students and determine the reasons for choosing some language. Results. In our study we have analyzed the language behavior of the most popular Kyiv universities’ students. For the research, we chose the respondents of different faculties, subjects and courses. In total, 387 students were interviewed. The questionarrie has revealed that in the official sphere the Ukrainian language dominates, but the Russian one is preferable in interpersonal communication and mass media. Therefore, we can make a conclusion that the language situation can be described as Ukrainian-Russian bilingualism with diglossia elements. Thus, for the official use (in education) students choose the Ukrainian language, and the language in unregulated, informal situations (during a break in communication with classmates, in the streets, in the store and so on ) – is Russian. For that matter, the Ukrainian and Russian languages in Kyiv are differentiated depending on formal or informal communication, that is the main feature of diglossia. However, there is a tendency to increase the prestige of the Ukrainian language, so we can predict that the Russian language will be forced out of communication among Ukrainians and its place will be taken by Ukrainian as it must be with the state language.