According to the Constitution of Russia, Russian is the state language throughout the territory Russian Federation, however, the republics are given the right to establish their own state languages. According to the Basic Law, a person and a citizen are granted the right to use their native language, to freely choose the language of communication, education, training and creativity. The Constitution also guarantees all peoples of Russia the right to preserve native language, creating conditions for its study and development.
Now the issue of studying native languages in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation has been transferred to the competence of regional authorities. IN Russian schools 89 languages are studied, of which 39 are taught.
Adygea
In 2013, the parliament of the republic returned the compulsory study of the native language for Adyghe children in schools where instruction is conducted in Russian, abolished in 2007. If desired, parents of preschoolers can also assign their children to groups in state kindergartens, where education and training is conducted in the Adyghe language.
On March 14, on the Day of the Adyghe Language and Writing, the Ministry of Education and Science reported on the results: in 43 preschool general educational institutions 4,759 children are studying the Adyghe language; in 127 preschool educational institutions, children are taught the basics of ethnoculture, Adyghe customs and traditions. All Russian-language schools teach the history and geography of Adygea, and Russian-speaking students are given the opportunity to choose to study the Adyghe language or Adyghe literature. In total, about 22 thousand schoolchildren study the Adyghe language, and more than 27.6 thousand students study Adyghe literature.
Altai
Teachers and the public of the Altai Republic regularly take the initiative to introduce compulsory learning of their native language for Altai children. Several years ago, an attempt was already made to pass a law that would oblige Altai children to learn their native language, but the prosecutor’s office considered that this would violate their rights.
On March 15, in Gorno-Altaisk, at the ninth Kurultai of the Altai people, a resolution was adopted with a proposal to make Altai language compulsory study for all schoolchildren of the republic without exception. The public organization "Russian Center" spoke out against it. According to its representatives, this will inevitably cause an increase in protest sentiments among Russians and other non-titular ethnic groups in the region, which could ultimately lead to the elimination of the very status of the republic.
Bashkortostan
The republic has a law providing for compulsory study Bashkir language as a state one. The number of hours devoted to its study in schools is determined by the educational institution itself. Parents of Russian children regularly hold protests and seek the introduction of voluntary learning of the Bashkir language. According to their information, district administration officials are forcing school management to accept educational plans with a reduced number of hours of Russian language and literature. These performances even influenced the position of the region in one of the ratings interethnic tension.
Not only Russians experience problems with learning their native language in the republic; a Chuvash activist recently complained about the infringement of language and culture.
Buryatia
The issue of the possible introduction of compulsory study of the Buryat language in the republic’s schools is being discussed in government offices with broad public support. In January, cultural and artistic figures of the republic made a call not to forget their native language in the video “Buryaad halaeree duugarayal!” - "Let's speak Buryat!" The public campaign was supported by director Solbon Lygdenov with a number of his short propaganda films; the first KVN in the Buryat language was recently held in the republic.
However, deputies of the People's Khural decided to leave language learning optional. Some deputies protested this resolution, but the amendments adopted after this did not change anything significantly.
Opponents of the idea of compulsory study of the Buryat language in schools fear that this will lead to inter-ethnic tension in the republic.
Dagestan
The specificity of Dagestan is that its inhabitants speak 32 languages, although only 14 ethnic groups are officially recognized as titular ones. Teaching in schools is conducted in 14 languages, primary school - in the native language, further training is underway in Russian. According to Murtazali Dugrichilov, a columnist for the North Caucasus service of Radio Liberty, the native language in the republic is spoken at the everyday level. "IN rural areas on local languages almost everyone says. IN major cities, in Makhachkala or Derbent, teaching national languages is optional,” he said.
In the near future, in Dagestan, at the proposal of the head of the republic, Ramazan Abdulatipov, a commission will be created on the problems of the Russian language and the languages of the peoples of Dagestan. It is also expected that after the adoption of the law “On the languages of the peoples of the Republic of Dagestan”, all 32 languages in the republic will receive state status.
The director of the Institute of Language, Literature and Art of the Dagestan Scientific Center, Magomed Magomedov, believes that after the adoption of the law, the native language will be compulsory in school. Negative experience other national republics in Dagestan were taken into account - as Magomedov said, the law will prohibit demonstrations and pickets of parents demanding exclusion from the list of mandatory academic disciplines subject of the native language.
Ingushetia
According to the law “On the state languages of the Republic of Ingushetia”, Ingush and Russian are studied as state languages in all educational institutions of the republic.
Experts believe that in order to preserve and develop the Ingush language, it is necessary to ensure its use along with Russian in all areas of life in the republic. In addition, there is talk in the republic that it is now necessary to develop industry terminology in the Ingush language, fully use the Ingush language as the state language and develop methods for teaching the native language in the schools of the republic.
Kabardino-Balkaria
In Kabardino-Balkaria, a discussion around language issues flared up in connection with the adoption of amendments to the law “On Education”. In accordance with them, the national languages, Kabardian and Balkar, will be studied compulsorily from the first grade by children for whom one or another language is native.
Meanwhile, members of the public are asking the head of the CBD not to sign the changes. In their opinion, the law “will significantly reduce the number of students studying Kabardian and Balkar languages“and will be “a significant step towards narrowing their living space.” They believe that education and training in kindergartens and primary schools should be conducted in their native languages. However, this clause, proposed during the discussion of the bill, was not included in the final version.
Kalmykia
According to the law "On the languages of the peoples of the Republic of Kalmykia" in secondary schools, where instruction is conducted in Russian, the Kalmyk language is introduced from the first grade as compulsory academic subject as one of the state languages of the republic. However, national activists believe that the status of the Kalmyk language as the state language still remains declarative in the sphere of use. As an example, they cite the fact that cultural events and even national holidays are held exclusively in Russian.
Representatives of the non-titular ethnic group are dissatisfied with the current situation, but public speaking no on this topic.
Karachay-Cherkessia
The official languages in the republic are Abaza, Karachay, Nogai, Russian and Circassian. Mandatory teaching of native languages by native speakers in schools is stipulated in the Constitution of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. In addition, according to the Law “On Education”, the native language must be studied as a compulsory subject in educational institutions where instruction is conducted in Russian. However, as it turned out, this obligation does not guarantee a sufficient level and quality of education in the opinion of national activists. Now in the republic there is an urgent issue of updating the content of textbooks on native languages - Abaza, Karachay, Nogai, Circassian.
Karelia
Karelia is the only national republic of the Russian Federation in which there is only one official language- Russian. Problem to improve status Karelian language are the small number of representatives of this ethnic group relative to other residents of the republic and, as a consequence, the low level of distribution of the Karelian language. Recently, the chairman of the Karelian Congress, Anatoly Grigoriev, proposed introducing three state languages in Karelia - Russian, Karelian and Finnish. The reason was the authorities' promise to introduce trilingualism in Crimea.
National languages are optionally taught in primary school, are studied in universities and preschool institutions. According to the Ministry of Education, in 2013, more than 6.5 thousand people studied Karelian, Finnish and Vepsian languages in the republic’s schools.
Komi
The Komi Ministry of Education introduced compulsory learning of the Komi language from the first grade in 2011. According to an employee of the Komi Scientific Center Ural branch RAS Natalia Mironova, this leads to latent discontent in youth environment. “High school students don’t understand why they should take away their precious time from preparing for the Unified State Exam in mathematics to study the Komi language,” the researcher said.
In September 2011, the Constitutional Court of Komi made a decision on the compulsory study of the Komi language in schools of the republic - for both Komi and non-Komi students. Now in the republic, schools can choose a program for teaching the Komi language - “as a native language” (up to 5 hours a week) and “as a state language” (2 hours a week in primary grades).
Crimea
The recently adopted constitution of the new Russian region enshrines three state languages - Russian, Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar. Education in schools will be conducted in these three languages.
Parents of schoolchildren in Buryatia, Bashkiria and Tatarstan have already appealed to the President of Russia and a number of officials, including from the leadership of Crimea, with a request to consolidate the voluntary study of Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar languages in the republic. Activists fear that otherwise, in the future, all children of Crimea, regardless of nationality, will be obliged to study all three state languages. The signatories cite as an example their national republics, where schoolchildren have to learn non-native languages.
Mari El
In the Republic of Mari El, where the official languages are Russian and Mari (meadow and mountain), compulsory study of the latter was introduced in 2013. Analysts note that there is growing dissatisfaction among the Russian population that they are being forced to learn a language they do not need, but so far there have been no public statements on this matter.
Mordovia
The republic introduced compulsory study of Erzya and Moksha languages in all schools of the republic in 2006. Initially, the study of these languages was compulsory only in national schools in areas and populated areas with compact accommodation of Erzyans and Mokshans. Since 2004, these subjects began to be taught as electives in Russian-language schools.
At the time of the introduction of compulsory study of Mordovian languages, there were manifestations of dissatisfaction on the part of Russian-speaking parents. Now, after 7 years, the number of dissatisfied people has decreased significantly, and their voice has become almost invisible. Teachers said that the introduction of new subjects over time changed the attitude of parents of non-Mordovian nationality to the study of national languages.
Yakutia
According to the law of the Sakha Republic "On Languages", the languages of instruction in secondary national schools are Sakha, Evenki, Even, Yukagir, Dolgan and Chukotka, and in Russian-language schools - Russian. In national schools, Russian is studied as a subject. Local official languages are also studied as a subject in Russian-language schools in areas where small-numbered peoples of the North live densely.
Despite the measures taken, positive trends in last years observed only in the development of the Yakut language. Native languages as methods of communication are well preserved only in seven settlements where indigenous peoples live compactly. In other uluses, native languages are practically lost. They are used mainly by representatives of the older and middle generations, and even then only in everyday life or in those families that maintain a traditional way of life.
North Ossetia
According to the regional law on languages, parents, taking into account the opinions of their children, have the right to choose an educational institution with one of two state languages of education and instruction - Russian or Ossetian, which includes the Iron and Digor dialects.
As Ossetian journalist Zaur Karaev writes, studying the native language in the schools of the republic is mandatory for everyone - Russians, Armenians, Ukrainians, Azerbaijanis and all other nationalities. But for those who are not strong in knowledge of Ossetian, there are special “weak classes” - with a simpler learning system and with teaching almost entirely in Russian. IN strong classes the program is much more complicated. However, this does not help preserve the Ossetian language. According to Karaev, according to the program prepared to familiarize representatives of a non-titular ethnic group living in the Republic of North Ossetia with the Ossetian language in general outline, for some reason, approximately a third of Vladikavkaz schoolchildren of Ossetian origin study.
Tatarstan
The leadership of the republic has been accused of inculcating the Tatar language for several years now. In Tatarstan, where only half of the population is the titular ethnic group, the Tatar language is mandatory for everyone to learn. Parents of Russian children in Tatarstan regularly hold protests and even contacted the prosecutor’s office about discrimination against Russian-speaking schoolchildren, but the audit did not reveal any violations.
Meanwhile, Tatar nationalists, for their part, are also sounding the alarm. According to them, the status of the Tatar language as the state language in the republic is almost not realized - there are few information stands in the national language on the streets, there is no full-fledged state federal channel in the Tatar language, there is no university in which teaching would be conducted entirely in the Tatar language.
The official authorities refute both the statements of Russian parents that the study of Tatar is being carried out to the detriment of the Russian language, and the claims of Tatar nationalists. The republic regularly implements language projects and programs, for example, studying the national language in kindergartens.
Tuva
In Tuva in 2008, the catastrophic state of the Russian language was recorded. According to Valeria Kan, a researcher at the sociology and political science sector of the Tuvan Institute for Humanitarian Research, the authorities were forced to pay attention to this problem. 2014 was declared the year of the Russian language. Systematic measures are being taken to ensure that children in rural areas, first of all, can master this language. According to her, the Tuvan language is doing great. Travelers also note that the residents of the republic speak mostly Tuvan among themselves, although signs in Russian predominate on the streets.
Meanwhile, Tuvan journalist Oyumaa Dongak believes that the national language is being oppressed. Yes, in my blog she notes that among the population it is difficult to find Tuvans who speak their own language purely, and even the government of the republic employs mostly people who do not know their native language. At the same time, she points out, the head of Tuva allocated 210 million rubles for the development of the Russian language, but nothing for the development of Tuvan.
Udmurtia
The issue of compulsory study of the national language in schools has not bypassed Udmurtia. At the beginning of the year, the Udmurt Kenesh association came up with a similar initiative. According to them, compulsory learning of Udmurt by everyone will help combat the loss of the Udmurt language in those families where parents do not speak to their children, as well as develop a culture of multilingualism among the residents of the republic.
Russian activists of the republic spoke out sharply against it. In February, the State Council of Udmurtia rejected the initiative to compulsorily study Udmurt language in the schools of the republic. According to the acting head of Udmurtia, Alexander Solovyov, money is already allocated from the budget annually for teaching the national language, which can be chosen voluntarily.
Khakassia
As in many republics, in Khakassia the national linguistic environment is preserved mainly in rural areas, where the indigenous population lives compactly.
The Khakass language is compulsorily taught only in national schools of the republic.
Meanwhile the candidate political sciences Garma-Khanda Gunzhitova stated in the media that in Khakassia, from September 1, 2014, compulsory study of the Khakassian language will be introduced in three programs: for Russians, Russian-Khakassians and for Khakassian schools. According to her, the language will be studied from grades 1 to 11 with an exam.
Chechnya
In Chechnya, the national language is taught in all schools of the republic as separate item. Since 95% of the population of the republic is the titular ethnic group, no protests regarding the study of a non-native language have been recorded. It is noted that in rural areas there are no problems with the Chechen language; on the contrary, children in villages do not speak Russian well. But despite the fact that the national language is actively used in everyday life, the republic still notes that the scope of its use continues to steadily narrow, as interest in its study and use in society is declining. At the last round table at the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, they noted the alarming, in the opinion of the participants, process of mixing colloquial speech native and Russian languages, as well as a tendency towards the gradual displacement of the Chechen language from the official sphere.
According to the director of the Institute for Educational Development of the Chechen Republic, Abdulla Arsanukaev, the introduction of teaching in schools in the native language could have a positive effect on the Chechen language. The government, for its part, is going to equalize the Russian and Chechen languages official level- For now, document flow in the government is conducted in Russian. It is also expected that a state commission will be created for the preservation, development and dissemination of the Chechen language.
Chuvashia
The Chuvash language is studied as compulsory subject in schools of the republic and in a number of universities in Chuvashia for one or two semesters. “At the very beginning of teaching, there were a lot of parents who came to school and opposed their child studying Chuvash. But today I can say with confidence: such parents no longer exist. Some even, on the contrary, want them the child developed and knew the native language of Chuvashia and, probably, this is correct,” notes Olga Alekseeva, teacher Chuvash language and literature in secondary school No. 50 in Cheboksary.
The severity of the language issue in the republic can be judged by recent events - in 2013, a court in Chuvashia found journalist Ille Ivanov guilty of inciting ethnic hatred for a publication that spoke about the disadvantaged position of the Chuvash language in the republic. Discussions around the native language have also been intensified by the recent language reform. According to the new rules, some Chuvash words must be written separately. However, the resulting phrase can be interpreted in two ways. According to opponents of the reform, it has impoverished the language and could serve as a catalyst for its Russification.
Nenets Autonomous Okrug
43 thousand people live in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, of which about 8 thousand are indigenous people. The main problem in studying the Nenets language is the lack of textbooks and teachers. In educational institutions of the district, hours for language learning have been introduced, electives are organized, but there are simply not enough teachers.
According to the methodologist of the State Budgetary Institution "Nenets Regional Center for Educational Development" Lyudmila Taleyeva, on the basis of educational pedagogical institutions Districts have not trained such specialists for a long time. Mostly, children’s native language is taught by teachers of Russian language and literature, who at one time, as students, studied the Nenets language. Teaching is carried out using old grammar textbooks.
Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug
The indigenous peoples of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug face similar problems - a shortage of teachers of native languages and teachers with the right to teach their native language for nomadic schools, a lack of methods for teaching native languages for beginners, insufficient provision of schools teaching aids in national languages.
The main languages of the indigenous peoples of the North in the region are Nenets, Khanty and Selkup.
Chukotka Autonomous Okrug
The main languages in Chukotka are Chukchi, Eskimo and Even. The government is currently developing a Concept for the development of native languages of indigenous peoples of the region. So far, the Association of Indigenous and Minority Peoples of Chukotka has itself organized courses for studying the Chukchi and Even languages.
Chukchi language is a language everyday communication for most Chukchi - in the family and in the process of traditional economic activity. In schools of ethnic villages, the Chukchi language is studied in primary grades as a compulsory subject, and in senior grades as an optional subject. There is no teaching in the Chukchi language in the republic.
Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug
According to public organizations, out of 4 thousand Khanty and Mansi living in Ugra, only a few go to native language courses. Representatives of youth organizations of indigenous peoples of the North even proposed depriving those who do not know their native language of national benefits.
“Young people have different attitudes towards their native language. Some are fluent in two languages, some understand speech but do not speak it themselves, and some even consider it sufficient to know only the Russian language, which is spoken by the majority,” says the president Youth organization of Ob-Ugric peoples Nadezhda Moldanova. She is also concerned that the new generation is less and less interested in national languages. Due to low demand for the specialty, the Finno-Ugric language department was even closed at Ugra State University.
One problem
Almost all languages Russian peoples suffer because parents and students themselves prefer to learn Russian. This is not surprising - in addition to the fact that it is spoken by the majority of the country's population, it also remains the only language interethnic communication in multinational Russia. The introduction of the Unified State Exam also played a role - students simply need to pay more attention to the Russian language in order to pass mandatory exam. However, the native language is the basis of culture and preservation of ethnicity. Each region is trying to solve this problem in its own way.
Forcing those for whom it is not native to learn the national language, as seen in the example of Tatarstan, does not give good result. Moreover, it leads to the appearance in the region of people who believe that they are oppressed on ethnic grounds. The situation is aggravated by the fact that, unlike all other peoples of the country, the most numerous people- Russians - according to the laws existing in Russia, cannot choose their language to study at school as their native language, thus refusing to study the national language.
Voluntary teaching of the native language also does not lead to significant success due to the lack of interest among young people in it. Realizing this, the authorities of many regions began to drive linguistic elements in everyday life - to translate laws, famous books, signs into national languages.
As it appears, the best tool To preserve the native languages of peoples, communication in them in the family remains. And also - practicing traditional activities. Yes, y northern peoples the native language is still used to denote phenomena that are simply inconvenient to translate into Russian.
With the spread of the Internet, people interested in preserving their culture undoubtedly have an opportunity to more possibilities to learn your native language. But for the Russian language, the World Wide Web, on the contrary, turned out to be harmful. More foreign borrowings and new formations began to penetrate into it. In addition, words are often deliberately used incorrectly online, which also has an impact Negative influence on the level of knowledge of schoolchildren.
As the head of the Center notes national problems education FIRO Ministry of Education and Science Olga Artemenko, the Russian language in mass use is gradually turning from literary language in household. In schools in a number of republics, hours for studying the Russian language in primary grades are being reduced. At the same time, it is studied on communicative basis with the function of interethnic communication, and not as a language that ensures the competitiveness of the younger generation.
In her opinion, to relieve interethnic tension and improve the quality language education it is necessary to adjust the conceptual and terminological apparatus in regulatory legal acts. In particular, remove such concepts as “native non-Russian”, “non-native Russian”, “Russian as foreign”. Eliminate the opposition between native and Russian, since Russian is also a native language. Remove the Russian language from the status of the state language of the republic, removing their functional equality.
Bill with clarifications of complex aspects legal status languages of the peoples of the Russian Federation has long been prepared by the State Duma Committee on Nationalities. However, despite positive reviews from the regions, its consideration is constantly postponed indefinitely.
Native language... Many believe that knowing your native language is a great happiness, since knowing your native language gives a person a lot: both a sense of self-confidence and a sense of pride in the achievements in the field of spiritual culture of his people, which he can learn with the help of his native language language. All this is very important for a person.
Dear... this is how we usually address a person when we have the warmest feelings for him. This word blows motherly love, the warmth of home, the joy of meeting with dear family and loved ones. When we speak our native language, we also give the word language special meaning. This is the language that our ancestors, our grandparents spoke, the language that we heard from childhood, and that our mothers and fathers spoke, whom we love very much and therefore our native language is so dear to us.
Knowledge of the native language is a manifestation of a genuine sense of national dignity and high ethnic consciousness, and the native language is of great value. It is the main instrument for preserving and developing the spiritual culture of the people.
There are thousands of peoples on planet Earth. These are thousands of languages, the exact number is difficult to even calculate - somewhere around 7 thousand, but maybe more. It would seem that enormous linguistic and cultural diversity was created by the genius of man, and there is nothing to worry about! But... today there is cause for alarm as this wonderful linguistic and cultural diversity is in danger of disappearing. It is believed that languages are disappearing at a faster rate than ever before. Scientists have calculated that in a few decades only half of the existing languages will remain - only 3 thousand. This means that along with the languages, the original cultures and the peoples themselves will disappear. This huge loss for all humanity, since cultural diversity is the key to the development of all existing cultures.
First of all, the languages of the most disadvantaged peoples - the indigenous - disappear due to the fact that other peoples (the British, Spaniards, French and others) came to their lands, on which they traditionally lived and led a traditional way of life, whose empires, expanding, conquered more and more territories in America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. In the occupied territories they imposed their languages, cultures, and religions on the indigenous peoples. That is why now the most common languages in the world are English, Spanish, and French, and the languages of indigenous peoples are disappearing. This serious problem and many concerned scientists and public figures They sound the alarm, write articles about the need for urgent measures to save languages, and take some measures to record, study and revive the languages of indigenous peoples. The world has realized that with the disappearance of languages, the richness of cultural diversity will disappear and become duller.
Concerned about the disappearance of languages, the UN specialized agency for education, science and culture - UNESCO - compiled an Atlas of the World's Endangered Languages and proclaimed in 1999 International Day mother tongue, which is celebrated on February 21st around the world. The first Atlas of Endangered Languages was published in 2001. Then, out of 6,900 languages, 900 languages were recognized as endangered. Eight years later, in the second edition of the Atlas, the number of endangered languages was already 2,700, that is, it had tripled! Solving the problem of endangered languages requires large financial expenditures, so governments have little or no hearing from concerned publics.
The language situation in Russia is also deplorable. Many languages of indigenous peoples are disappearing, not only of small peoples, but also of numerous ones (Udmurts, Karelians, Buryats and others). The situation is especially difficult among the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and Far East- Of the 40 languages, most are endangered languages. The situation is especially alarming among the Orochs, Nivkhs, Kets, Udeges, Selkups, Itelmens, Sami, Evenks, Shors, Yukaghirs and others. The main criterion for classifying a language as an endangered language is the number of children who know their native language. If the vast majority of children and young people do not know their native language, then the language is considered endangered, even if total number hundreds of thousands of representatives of the people. This is due to the fact that with the passing of the older generation, there will be no native speakers left, since the language has not been transferred from the older generation to the younger.
Our country has laid down the legal foundations for the preservation of the languages of indigenous peoples (the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the law on the languages of the peoples of the Russian Federation) which states that “the languages of the peoples of Russia are a national treasure Russian state”, that “the state promotes the creation of conditions for the preservation of languages of small peoples”, but in real life conditions for this have not been created. The revival of languages is mainly carried out by enthusiasts. They are trying to do at least something to preserve languages. Thanks to their petitions and efforts, clubs are opened, native language classes are taught in some places, and books are published. But this is clearly not enough, it cannot solve the problem and languages continue to disappear. Need a target Government program revival of the languages of the indigenous peoples of Russia and significant financial expenses for it.
Shor language is the indigenous language small people south of Kuzbass, belongs to the endangered languages. There are about 400 people left (3% of the total number of Shors) who speak the Shor language, and this figure is constantly decreasing. In 20-30 years, there may be no native speakers of the Shor language left and the language will become dead. This means that there will be no poems and songs in the Shor language, there will be no ensembles, there will be no Payrams and cultural events, there will be no books. The Shor culture will die completely. The remaining “Shorians” will have no choice but to change their ethnic identity(and only a few will be capable of this), or they will become even more drunk, fall into depression, and lead a deplorable existence, since they will lose the main support in modern multi-ethnic life - the Shor culture and language. From the above we can conclude: the future of modern young Shors and their children is in their hands - they need to learn the Shor language from the remaining native speakers of the Shor language and create a Shor language environment in the family so that children know their native language and speak it fluently. Children are the future of the people. If they learn their native language, they can pass it on to their children and the language will not disappear. Knowledge of two languages - Shor and Russian - is quite within the capabilities of Shor youth.
Abandoning one’s native language can lead to tragedy, but knowledge of two or more languages, on the contrary, makes a person spiritually richer, more successful, smarter and happier, opens up new opportunities in life, as a person becomes familiar with several cultures and takes from them for his development the best. In the modern globalized world, bilingualism (speaking two languages) and multilingualism (more than two languages) are widespread. For example, in India and Cameroon many speak 3-4 languages, and in Europe - also in Japan - two official languages (Japanese and English), which all Japanese study and know.
In conclusion, I would like to quote the wonderful words of the great German scientist Wilhelm von Humboldt: “Through the diversity of languages, the richness of the world and the diversity of what we perceive in it are revealed to us, and human existence becomes wider for us, since languages in distinct and effective features give us various ways thinking and perception".
At first glance, the answer to this question is simple: my native language is the language of my people. But here interesting statement the remarkable Russian poet, Decembrist, friend of A. S. Pushkin, Wilhelm Kuchelbecker: “I am German by father and mother, but not by language: until I was six years old, I did not know a word of German; My natural language is Russian.”
Then, perhaps, the native language is the official language of our homeland - the country where we were born and live? However, why, for example, in my native Ukraine are there so many people who speak Ukrainian well and love it, but at home and with friends they speak only Russian? They prefer Russian films and TV shows, and even read all seven books about Harry Potter in Russian translation, although the Ukrainian one usually appeared a couple of months earlier. AND similar examples can be found in any country, at any time...
In search of a true answer to all these questions, let’s turn to one of the best experts on the Russian and Ukrainian languages, the creator of “ Explanatory dictionary alive Great Russian language"and the collector of the first Russian-Ukrainian dictionary, Vladimir Ivanovich Dahl. His father was Danish by birth, and his mother was French.
Pondering the Herculean Problem of Scientific Definition nationality man, Dahl came to the conclusion: “The spirit, the soul of a person - this is where we must look for his belonging to one or another people. How can one determine the identity of a spirit? Of course, by the manifestation of the spirit – by thought. Whoever thinks in what language belongs to that people. I think in Russian."
Modern linguists have used Dahl's insightful ideas to define the concept of mother tongue. So, a given person’s native language is the language in which he usually thinks. As a rule, this is the language of the parents, which the baby hears and assimilates from the first hours of life.
Having grown up, we, of course, no longer remember this, but our mothers began to communicate with us as soon as they first held us in their arms. They talked to us when they swaddled us, fed us, and put us to bed. Not counting on our verbal reaction at first, they still made pauses in their speech necessary for a response, and sometimes they themselves answered for us, setting an example that we unconsciously learned... Many of our language knowledge and speech skills appeared thanks to this one-sided, at first glance, communication with my mother. This is why in some European and Asian languages There is no such thing as a native language, but there is a mother language.
“And I can think in Russian, and Ukrainian, and English, and a little more in French. So, do I have four native languages? Many people probably have similar questions. Therefore, the definition needs to be clarified.
The point is that there is a difference between verbal communication and verbal thinking. With more or less ease, we can silently, without opening our mouth, communicate with an imaginary interlocutor and even with ourselves in any learned language (linguists call this action inner speech). However, when we think about our life plan for the next month, we try to understand and appreciate the unexpected act of a friend, we look for arguments for serious conversation with parents, register in Personal diary important conclusion When we feel very bad or, conversely, very good, we, as a rule, think in our native language.
Why is this happening? Yes, because in our native language lexicon more, and its grammar is more familiar. Native language is like right hand our intellect, the well-worn shoes of our thoughts. In other words, a person’s native language is the language in which it is easiest and most convenient for him to think, ponder, invent, that is, use his verbal thinking in a creative, productive, constructive mode.
Having a correct understanding of your native language is also important for this reason. According to the International Organization of Applied Psycholinguistics (ICPL), when learning in a non-native language, the mental and general psychological development of a child slows down by 20 to 40 percent. Surely the above article raised other questions. And if the father and mother have different native languages, what will the child’s native language be? Is the native language always the language of the parents? But how to explain the examples of Dahl and Kuchelbecker? Under what conditions is it possible to master several languages as if they were native? Can a person change his native language during his life?..
Arguments and facts for these problematic issues you can find in another article on the same site - “How many native languages can a person have?” (Internet search: Svetozar – page Entertaining linguistics– section Language and society).
However, it is not enough for a real teacher to know the truth - he must convey it to his students in a vivid and memorable form. We wish you, Dear colleagues, inspiration, perseverance and good luck!
V. I. KOVALYOV,
Ph.D. ped. Sciences, teacher of Russian language and literature Secondary School No. 54, Lugansk
3 comments on ““V.I. Kovalev. WHAT IS MY NATIVE LANGUAGE?”
And I’m annoyed that some modern scientists write articles not based on the results of personal research, but based on someone else’s opinion. And then, instead of looking for the truth and answering simple questions, they try to drag their opponents through the mud, to tell them that they are uneducated, in contrast to the great and terrible, who considers a quote and a reference to authority to be the most important argument. This is not science, but a way of self-affirmation. I read your article carefully. And had fun. I just imagined how you, in order to determine what a person’s native language is, threateningly order him: “Come on, think about the innermost! Write an entry in your diary!” Don't hide behind other people's names. Try to think)
Mister Associate Professor, you so confidently said that “However, when we think about our life plan for the next month, try to understand and evaluate the unexpected act of a friend, look for arguments for a serious conversation with our parents, write down an important conclusion in our personal diary when we feel very bad or , on the contrary, it’s very good - we, as a rule (I am amused by this “as a rule”. Is this how you define your native language at random? This is not a rule, but as a rule? - user), we think in our native language.” But this can only be said if you yourself are sufficiently fluent in a foreign language and have experience of long-term communication in it. In connection with this question. Please tell me: a) what foreign languages do you speak? Because in order to claim that a native language is one in which someone thinks about something that they cannot think about in a foreign language, one must simply be able to at least speak and think in this foreign language. b) knowing your answer to the first question, I’ll ask the second: on what basis did you decide that a person who knows a foreign language cannot think about some lofty matters in it? Are there any laboratory research, confirming this? The data from psycholinguists that you refer to do not appeal to the native language, but to the language in which a person communicates and thinks in everyday life, that is, to the functional first language. But our children studying abroad, having entered the language environment, having learned the language, making it functionally their first, quickly acclimatize to this educational space. Moreover, they find it difficult to adapt to learning in their native language. So, following your logic, did they change their native language? In short: “you came up with something absurd)))” (C)
I am also annoyed that there are such “some modern scientists”. Personally, I don’t consider the quote and link to be the main argument. When I try to find the truth and answer difficult questions, I reflect on classical research in this area and own experience. In any case, I am glad of your cheerful, cheerful reaction to my modest thoughts. After all, “humor is a life preserver on the waves of life.”
Constantly living in the same environment does not make it possible to fully understand what the native language means to a person. When there are no difficulties to overcome language barrier, few people think about the role of communication for psychological, morale each individual. Sometimes only the arrival of foreigners can shake confidence and peace. Even the slightest difference in languages with the inhabitants of the countries makes it clear how difficult it is for a person without understanding the speech of his interlocutor.
The importance of speaking skill in a person’s life
From birth, a child is instilled with knowledge and skills that will help in life. And speech is one of the most important skills that one masters. small man. Remember how awkward you feel when you cannot understand what exactly a two-year-old child wants from you. Babbling and distorting words, he tries with all his might to convey his point of view, desire, emotions. And if it is simply difficult for adults to understand such a “conversation,” then it is sometimes even more difficult for a child. Despite all his efforts, he remained unheard. It is from this age that it is important to form in children an understanding of what their native language means for a person, to instill a love for words.
How to educate in your native language?
It is very important to help children learn the language. And this applies not only to the school curriculum. In educational institutions, teachers polish the basis already acquired by the child, expanding the vocabulary, and correct some errors that are present in the speech of the child and his environment. But you cannot place all your hopes only on the school curriculum, which is limited by scope, time and methods. Teachers cannot always convey to their students the role of their native language in a person’s life. Discussions, reading, watching films, listening to songs in a relaxed home environment will be the key not only to spending time together, but also to preserving the native language.
The language of a people is a mirror of its soul, cultural heritage
Language is not only a tool for communication between different people. The meaning of the native language in a person’s life is much deeper and more important. He is the bearer of the culture, mentality, traditions and history of every nation. There are more than 6 thousand different languages in the world. Some of them are similar, and representatives of neighboring countries can understand each other’s spoken language in whole or in part, others are absolutely incomprehensible and have nothing in common with the native dialect of a person. Even within the same country, different dialects may be in use.
Each of them is the highlight of the region, its soul. After all, language is a reflection of the thoughts of both one individual person and a group of people, an entire nation. This is the defining component national unity uniting people who are different in spirit, way of being, social aspects of people. E. Sapir’s statement very characteristically describes the role of language in the formation of culture as a phenomenon and the culture of an individual person: “Culture can be defined as what a given society does and thinks. Language is how one thinks.”
Away is good, but home is better
The easier it is to understand what a person’s native language means, the further he is from his home. This problem is felt very acutely by emigrants who, due to various circumstances, were forced to leave their homeland. The need for communication, which cannot be fully satisfied by speaking a foreign language, pushes people to create interest groups, communities, and diasporas. Very often, such communities preserve centuries-old traditions much more reverently and reliably than their compatriots who do not experience difficulties of a similar nature.
It is very important to have the opportunity to hear, speak, and understand your native language every day. In it, it is a kind of path connecting him with home and loved ones. It is not for nothing that many, unable to bear the separation from their native land and suffering from nostalgia, are unable to settle down in a foreign land. Often the reason for this is not only the economic aspect, but different mentality and habits. The impossibility of free communication in the language in which you think becomes an insurmountable obstacle to permanent residence abroad.
After all, the absence speaking practice, writing, reading can lead to forgetting and distortion of even the native language that a person has been using since birth. Of course, some everyday phrases, absorbed with mother's milk, will not disappear forever, but vocabulary, the ability to speak freely and without an accent may be lost. It is all the more important to try to preserve a piece of your homeland, to cherish and glorify it through the word.
Is it necessary to teach a child their native language while living abroad?
For every person, their native language is the language they speak from birth, these are mothers’ lullabies, first questions and answers. However, what about children born in a country foreign to their parents, or those who moved to a new area while still a toddler? How to determine which language is their native language? How can you explain the difference between two different ways of expressing your thoughts and feelings?
Trends modern world are such that knowledge of several foreign languages- this is no longer a whim or desire of parents. Most often this is a necessity, without which adult life difficult to navigate, settle in Good work. Psychologists and teachers say that it is much easier for a child to learn a language than for an adult. Moreover, the basic foundation is laid at a very young age, even before school. The brain’s ability to perceive information in this period of life is colossal. Children living in a bilingual country or family can freely communicate both in the generally accepted language and in their native language.
It is very important for parents to pay a lot of attention to native speech, because school and communication with peers will help the child speak competently and clearly in the language necessary for life. But complete absence or lack of practice will lead to the fact that the native language is completely erased from memory, forgotten and the invisible thread connecting a person and his homeland is broken.
How to overcome the language barrier
Often communication problems arise due to a person’s inability to solve this problem. An extensive vocabulary, understanding of the basics of grammar, and ways of constructing sentences still do not provide the opportunity for free communication. Such difficulties arise due to a lack of understanding spoken language. The acquisition of the necessary skills occurs only during live communication, through reading fiction, periodicals, watching movies. At the same time, it is important not to forget to improve your pronunciation individual words and phrases. What a person’s native language means will help you figure out the knowledge of several dialects. And only by feeling the difference can you really understand how much you love your country and its language.
There are about 7,469 languages in the world as of 2015. But which one is the most common among them? According to the well-known reference book Ethnologue, which is developed and published in print and in electronic format international non-profit organization SIL International, a list of the most common languages in the world (by number of speakers) looks like in the following way.
Malay
Malay (including Indonesian) is a language that includes several related languages spoken on the island of Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, coastal areas islands of Borneo, Indonesia and Thailand. Speaks it 210 million Human. Is official language Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and one of the four official languages of Singapore, as well as a working language in the Philippines and East Timor.
Bengali is in ninth place in the ranking of the most widely spoken languages in the world. It is the official language of the People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal, Assam and Tripura. It is spoken in parts of the Indian states of Jharkhand, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, as well as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is the second most spoken language in India. Total number of speakers in the world - 210 million Human.
French is the official language of France and 28 other countries (Belgium, Burundi, Guinea, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Republic of the Congo, Vanuatu, Senegal, etc.), spoken by about 220 million Human. Is official and administrative language many communities and international organizations, such as the European Union (one of the six official languages), the International Olympic Committee, the United Nations and others.
Portuguese is a language spoken by more than 250 million people living in Portugal and former Portuguese colonies: Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome, Principe, East Timor and Macau. In all these countries it is the official language. Also common in the United States of America, France, South Africa, in Bermuda, the Netherlands, Barbados and Ireland. It is one of the official languages of the European Union and other international organizations.
Russian is the official language of Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Widely distributed in Ukraine, Latvia and Estonia. To a lesser extent in countries that were part of Soviet Union. It is one of the six official languages of the United Nations and the most widely spoken language in Europe. All people in the world speak Russian 290 million Human.
Hindi is the official language of India and Fiji spoken 380 million people, mainly in central and northern regions India. IN Indian states In Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and the capital Delhi, Hindi is the official language of government and the primary language of instruction in schools. It is also common in Nepal, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Suriname, the Republic of Mauritius and the Caribbean islands.
Fourth place in the ranking of the most popular languages world occupies Arabic. This is the official language of everyone Arab countries, as well as Israel, Chad, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Comoros and the unrecognized state of Somaliland. It is spoken all over the world 490 million Human. Classical Arabic (the language of the Quran) is the liturgical language of 1.6 billion Muslims and one of the official languages of the United Nations.
Spanish or Castilian is a language that arose in the medieval kingdom of Castile on the territory of modern Spain and spread during the Age of Discovery, primarily in Northern and South America, as well as in parts of Africa and Asia. It is the official language of Spain and 20 other countries (Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Cuba, Panama, Peru, etc.). Total Spanish spoken in the world 517 million people. It is also used as an official and working language by many international organizations, including European Union, UN, Union of South American Nations, etc.
English is the official language of Great Britain, the USA, Ireland, Canada, Malta, Australia, New Zealand, as well as some Asian countries. It is widespread in parts of the Caribbean, Africa and South Asia. IN total English is the official language of almost 60 sovereign states and many world and regional international organizations. The total number of speakers in the world is 840 million Human.
The most widely spoken language in the world is Mandarin, known as Putonghua or Mandarin, a group of Chinese dialects spoken in the north and southwest of China. Is the official language of Chinese people's republic, Taiwan and Singapore. In addition, it is common in places where the Chinese diaspora lives: Malaysia, Mozambique, Mongolia, the Asian part of Russia, Singapore, the USA, Taiwan and Thailand. According to the Ethnologue reference book on given language They say 1.030 million people.
Share on social media networks