Russkaya Pravda - Nomenclature

Nomenclature

The spellings "Rus'ka Pravda" or "Ruska Pravda" (which correspond to the modern Ukrainian usage) as well as "Russkaia Pravda" or "Russkaya Pravda" (which correspond to the modern Russian usage) are used in English language literature.

The spelling debate centres on the interpretation of the word. While 'Russkaia' with two "S"s is easily understood and translated as 'Russian', the modern Ukrainian viewpoint implies that modern Russia and Rus' were different identities. This view is challenged by some linguists on the basis of the language used in the document who claim that spelling the word "Ruskiy" (Russian) with one S was commonplace at the time; in fact it is the prevalent for centuries after Ruskaya Pravda was written, and can be found in virtually all instances, both in Kiev and Moscow. An often quoted example is Ivan the Terrible's correspondence from the 16th century. Other linguists claim that the spelling with two s's only became more common in the 17th century, and only became standard after Lomonosov's Grammar was published in 1755.

The term is translated as "Justice of the Rus'", as in the Latin "ius russicum". One may also encounter the translation "Russian Truth", based on the modern meaning of the word "правда".