Russian Language in Ukraine - History of Russian Language in Ukraine

History of Russian Language in Ukraine

East Slavic languages originate in the language spoken in Rus. Significant differences in spoken language in different regions began to be noticed after the division of the Rus lands between Golden Horde and Lithuania. Lithuania, in time united with Poland. Muscovites under the Golden Horde developed the modern Russian language, people in the northern Lithuanian sector developed Belorussian, and in southern Polish sector Ukrainian.

It is worth noting that the ethnonyms "Ukraine" and "Ukrainian" were not used until the 19th century. The land was known in the West as Ruthenia, and the people as Ruthenians. The Russian imperial centre, however, preferred the names "Little" and "White" Russias, so as to describe the culture and linguistic differences with that of the "Great" Russians.

There was no geographical border between people speaking Russian and Ukrainian but rather gradual shift in vocabulary and pronunciation along the line between the historical cores of the languages. Since the 20th century, however, people have started to identify themselves with their spoken vernacular and conform to the literary norms set by academics.

Although the ancestors of a small ethnic group of Russians - Goriuns resided in Putyvl region (what is modern northern Ukraine) in the times of Grand Duchy of Lithuania or perhaps even earlier, the Russian language in Ukraine has primarily come to exist in that country through two channels: the migration of ethnic Russians into Ukraine and through the adoption of the Russian language by Ukrainians.