Modern Ukrainian Linguistics in Slovakia: Achievements and Failures

Abstract

The article is devoted to the history and the current state of Ukrainian linguistic studies in the Slovak Republic. It presents the analysis of the Slovak Ukrainian language of different periods. Therefore, the author examines the post-war period as the period of development and activation, as well as the last decades of the XX century when Slovakia became an independent state and joined the European Union. Moreover, the author clarifies the term ‘diaspora’, specifies the necessity of its usage regardin the history of Ukrainian linguistics in Slovakia and the fact that the Ukrainian population of East Slovakia is heterogeneous and is presented by a few generations of emigrants and indigenous Ukrainians.Furthermore, the article presents the analysis of scholarly researches of Ukrainian linguistics on different stages of its development in Slovakia. Therefore, the author determines the major trends and stages of Ukrainian linguistics in Slovakia. The special attention in the article is also being paid to the works about the history of Ukrainian linguistics in East Slovakia. The author traces the connection between this variant of the language and those variants that exist in Ukraine, Russia and Ruthenia. Finally, the achievements of Ukrainian linguists of Priashiv University are thoroughly expounded in the article. The author acknowledges the research activity of these scholars and their pursuit to create scholastic and methodical ground for educating the Ukrainians in Slovakia.