The history of the Russian language: theory and manipulation Cover Image

ИСТОРИЯ РУССКОГО ЛИТЕРАТУРНОГО ЯЗЫКА: ТЕОРИЯ И МАНИПУЛЯЦИИ
The history of the Russian language: theory and manipulation

Author(s): Elena Potsiekhina
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Applied Linguistics, Historical Linguistics, Comparative Linguistics, Eastern Slavic Languages, Philology
Published by: Polskie Towarzystwo Rusycytyczne
Keywords: historical grammar; history of Russian language; Russian as second language; Russian as an international means of communication

Summary/Abstract: Models of language competition usually favor the central language over those of the peripheries. Yet the Russian language has failed to establish its hegemony both in the tsarist and Soviet empires. While the tsarist period is briefl y touched upon in the introduction, the present study concentrates on the “missed second opportunity” — the Soviet and post-Soviet period. It attempts to explain the causes for the second failure against a broad historical background, beginning with Lenin’s generous linguistic policy, through the elevation of Russian as the language of the “Soviet People” and of the “Communist Future” in the post Stalin period, to the current (1992) retreat under local and global challenges. The role of language grievances in promoting national self-assertiveness and causing the present anti- Russian backlash in the republics is highlighted. The paper ends with a discussion of the future prospects of Russian as a second language.

  • Issue Year: 2009
  • Issue No: 126
  • Page Range: 63-91
  • Page Count: 29
  • Language: Russian