Inro

I was born in western part of Ukraine (Ternopil, Galicia region) in Lemko family. My family speaks Ukrainian with a lot of words from Polish, Russian and Lemko dialect of Ukrainian. And it was OK for me until I had understood why it is the matter what language you speak; and what consequences of it can be (maybe I’ll write post about this later). Personally I speak: Ukrainian — native; English — expert; German — middle, Polish — understand, but can’t speak; Belorussian — similar to Ukrainian, we understand each other; because of Russian propaganda Russian language is also expert; Norwegian and Danish — beginner. During my studies of languages I’ve read a lot about how languages develop and evolve. Finally, here are my conclusions about how the language can be protected.

1. Use Lingua-franca

Take global languages (English/Spanish/…) and create dictionaries, e-courses, classes for those languages. Give possibility for others to know your language.

1. Teach others to speak/understand your language

For question “How to make others start studying your language?” there are few answers: in Norway there are laws that without knowledge of language employee can’t take you on a job; English/Russian languages are obligatory to go to International Space Station; Latin language is official in Vatican, each citizen must know it (Latin isn’t dead yet).

1. Update your language and work with it

Language speakers should work on it. Best case when when government will do that. Otherwise results are quite sad: it will become harder to express thoughts (world change fast); usage of words from other languages; new cliches will appear, which can’t exist (from linguistic point of view).

1. Study own language

Because of previous item you need to update your knowledge, also sometimes there are changes in wrong direction, correct them.

1. Find aggressor language and find ways to stay protected

In most cases exist aggressor language, which makes big influence. Here we have two solutions:

1. Create uncomfortable environment for that language
2. Or be tolerant: a. If people, who speak that language are tolerant to you, both languages will live together with high possibility of merging (Serbo-Croatian language); b. Otherwise you will observe the extinction of your mother tong (Belorussian language).

1. Use your native language

Most significant item in list: just use it.

1. Create language surrounding

When I was child my home country was making first freedom steps without Big Brother (as we thought, later events have shown opposite), it was only beginning of reestablishment of Ukrainian language. Because of Russian propaganda during my childhood I’ve learned Russian, it was made as a result of TV/books/music.

Read books on your language, listen songs on your language, watch movies on your language.

1. Protect other languages

Making steps for saving other can help to save yourself.

Conclusion

This is quite abstract task list, but I think it is a nice backbone for developing language saving policy. Also remember one more important thing: if your language sucks it is not because of someone, it is only because of people that speak that language.