| Popis: |
The legal status of regional or minority languages in Ukraine, Post-Soviet space and European understanding is studied. The author proves that Ukraine stretches the meaning of regional languages, provided by European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. The regional languages rather play the role of the largest national minorities’ languages than disappearing ones in Ukraine. National minorities did not get appropriate protection of their language rights that is why they had to take advantage of international legal rules. Ukraine had to extend the concept of “regional language” to the largest national minorities’ languages to use international law effectively. Thus, the legal status of regional languages has been changed in national language law. Thanks to European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages the idea of regional language got implanted in language policy terminology. That is why the lawmakers decided not to decline it during new language Act working out. The Ukrainian experience exemplifies modification of the legal status of regional languages, its adaptation to language situation and has no analogs in Post-Soviet space. |
