“Why I don’t want to speak Belarusian”. Dialogue about fashion and vulgar busting. What language do Belarusians speak? What language is spoken in Belarus

It is as difficult to imagine a nation without its own common language as it is to imagine it without a people. However, I am not talking about language as a universal sign of the uniqueness of a nation. Indeed, several peoples can speak the same language, but also in the same country there can be several variations of the same language - dialects. There are examples of countries in which a significant part of the population does not speak the national language. For example, Pakistan, where the national language is Urdu, which is spoken by only 7% of the population. The Swiss, on the other hand, use four languages ​​at once: German, French, Italian and Romansh.

As for the Republic of Belarus, in accordance with the Constitution the state languages ​​are Belarusian and Russian, moreover, the national language for Belarusians is still traditionally Belarusian, and speaks it well if a quarter of all Belarusians ...

WITH the problem of bilingualism all residents of the Republic of Belarus are fighting, only some with the fact that he is forced to learn, others - that its value as the national language of Belarus is decreasing. Now our native language “lives” in school classrooms of the Belarusian language, in the lecture halls of philological departments, sometimes on the stage of the theater ... On the street, however, you can only occasionally hear “bulba” instead of potatoes, “dzakuy” instead of thank you, “kind Zen” instead of Russian greetings. I respect people who openly speak the Belarusian language, not being ashamed of it, not thinking about what others will think. Unfortunately, I know very few of them, but they are really bright personalities, and this is not only related to the language they speak.

Language is only a means of expressing their character, behavior, only such people dare to call the White Russian language their native language and their national language. The national language must be spoken from all sides, and hearing it, people should not turn around in surprise, and often the reaction is not the most positive.

But in vain ... I would compare a person who speaks Belarusian with a foreigner who does not know Russian and who has arrived in Belarus or Russia. When we see a foreigner, we will never be surprised that he speaks English, for example. Why, then, is it a wonder for us to see a Belarusian speaking Belarusian? One feels a kind of nonsense. The Pole speaks Polish, the German speaks German, the Russian speaks Russian, and the Belarusian, as usual, distinguished himself! “Speak Belarusian? What for?.."

Today the state encourages the preservation of the Russian language as the main one. On the one hand, this makes it possible to establish relations with neighboring countries, since Russian is one of the interethnic languages, to strengthen relations with Russia. But on the other hand, helping to develop the Russian language, we further aggravate the ethnic position of Belarusians among other peoples. We "kill" our culture for the sake of familiarizing with the traditions of other countries, no matter how awful it sounds. In the history of Belarus there was a period of both polonization and russification - they did not allow Belarusians to freely use the Belarusian language when they themselves wanted it. Now, when we have freedom of speech and language, we do not speak the language for which our ancestors fought for centuries - we recognize ourselves as a Russian-speaking nation, not noticing the beauty of the Belarusian language. And it's not about beauty ... The main part of our people are those born in the USSR. They are adherents of the Russian language. But it seems that young people who have not had time to experience either Brezhnev or Gorbachev are already able to choose their own language, there are conditions for this, but the majority, trying to join the "gray mass", remain Russian-speaking Belarusians. Psychologists call this the herd feeling, although I would paraphrase it as an incurable “herd syndrome”: following others in language, people will become like others in other things. And even the minority that chooses the Belarusian language for everyday communication does not proceed from patriotic feelings. There is more desire to "show off", to show oneself as opposed to the main Russian-speaking "herd". So, and don't patriots exist? This question is extremely controversial. The only thing that is certain is that it is not for me to give the answer, and it is not for me to judge the others either. But I think, I am even sure that there are such people. There are only a few of them, but they are amazing. Most of those I know are people of mature age, but of modern views. These are not young people who are trying to find a way to stand out (there are, of course, exceptions too), this is highly educated people with their own life position... They immediately evoke respect and trust, and most of all - admiration. All Belarusians should look up to such people.
Yes, we are Belarusians, yes, we have a territory, culture, traditions and all the same language, but we do not use it. Language is the most important thing that should unite Belarusians. How do we recognize a Pole? He speaks Polish. How about a Belarusian? Just take our word for it. Language is the main condition of national identity... It turns out that this concept is not peculiar to Belarusians. No matter how loud words the speakers throw, no matter how they praise our culture, the national language is the beginning of the formation of a nation. It is just as important as a source for a river or a front door for a house. Of course, you can try to get in through the window, but will this be a house?

There are two official languages ​​in our country. Russian is used by the majority. Belarusian is less in demand for a long number of reasons: you do not like the sound and melody, there is no motivation and desire to learn, shyness, lack of patriotism ... The leader of the Drum Ecstasy group Philip Chmyr adds here a dislike of imposition. The musician believes that the current MOVA propagandists are acting incorrectly, forming a persistent dislike for the Belarusian language. The next issue of Friday's "Informat" tells about the substitution of concepts and the need to follow the example of the Ukrainians.

Who is this?

This is a Minsker who grew up in a Russian-speaking environment. Now Philip is a member of the well-known Belarusian group Drum Ecstasy. In his free time from music, he is engaged in advertising. Assuming that the majority of the Belarusian intelligentsia lives on Facebook, two years ago Chmyr provoked its angry seething with one short post. The text was literally the following: Miles of fire-breathing comments quickly grew beneath him. Since then, Philip has not changed his point of view.

- Why don't you speak Belarusian?

I do not know him. This is the only explanation. If I knew the Belarusian language, I would speak it. And I don't even try.

- Were there any inclinations in this direction?

I spoke Belarusian while studying language and literature in the Soviet school. And he was one of the best in the class in this regard. True, I spoke French just as well at school.

You see, I am a citizen of Minsk, I have been active since the seventies. And no one here spoke Belarusian. Even both school teachers of this language communicated with each other in Russian. I spent the summer at writers' dachas, communicating there with the grandchildren of writers. And their grandfathers only spoke Belarusian to each other, and Russian to us. Apparently, they just wanted to convey information in an accessible way that apples cannot be taken [smiles].

- What did you have in your certificate in Belarusian?

In the final exam - five. True, the currently existing Belarusian is not at all similar to the one that we taught at school. In this respect, it is very difficult for me. Look: there was always Chyrvonazornaya street, but suddenly it became Chyrvonazorkavaya. What the fuck, you ask? Or there was always "Not a prytulyatstsa", when suddenly it became "Not a pryhilyatstsa". Newspeak. It seems to me that some words are openly dragged from dialects. Even my "Belarusian" friends say that with Newspeak, too much has begun.

Now the guys promoting MOV are divided and decide how to tell them correctly. Listen, in order for me to start learning a language, decide between yourself what exactly I should learn. And then I, maybe, will deal with this issue. In the meantime, decide your internal affairs.

- The year before last, you wrote on your Facebook: "I hate the Belarusian language, like everything that is imposed on me."

For several hours I painfully chose the wording to exclude the daub. My goal was friends, among whom there are enough admirers and propagandists of the Belarusian language. I wanted to hook these guys and show that the methods with which they are trying to promote "Mova" will lead nowhere.

Let's take as an example the introduction of compulsory religious education in Russia. Many are very worried about this. And I say that this is just fine. The effect that compulsory communist education had in the Soviet school can hardly be overestimated. The people who taught Marxism-Leninism received a powerful inoculation and no longer fall into this nonsense. We will never revive any Stalinist moments.

So for a religious education, you can be completely calm. Merlin Manson, by the way, went to a Catholic school. If at some point you do something obligatory - for example, a religious education - then you will receive a persistent (especially when it comes to puberty and protest) rejection of absolute atheists who will not give a damn about this whole topic.

If you want to promote the Belarusian language, do it smartly. We have already gone through the forced Belarusianization of Poznyakovo. So my message is very simple: if you impose something, you will get hatred in return.

- What exactly bothers you?

I don't like the obligation. The country where I live has two official languages. This means that I can choose the one that is convenient for me.

There is a global circus that shows itself very well in the art scene. Look. All art directors, artists and the bulk of the curators are Russian-speaking. They make a description of the project in Russian. Then professional translators translate all this into English and Belarusian. At the same time, the Russian version is hidden. I come and start asking: “Guys, I know you wrote the annotation in Russian. Give it to me, please. " But I get nothing. This is what causes a negative reaction.

This is false. And falsity always infuriates. Here's more about the circus. Bar counter. On the one hand, there are Russian-speaking bartenders, on the other, Russian-speaking visitors. The order is in progress. Visitors to each other: "Would you like some coffee?" - "Will". - "Dzve kava, kali weasel". Bartenders among themselves: "Of good". - "Brew some coffee, please." This circus does not popularize MOVA.

After the publication of my post about the Belarusian language, some familiar businessmen took a pose: "Ah well! Then we will only talk to you in Belarusian ”. This was followed by the Belarusian, as it seemed to them, the text. Then I answered: “Guys, I can speak this Belarusian too. Even better. Do not disgrace yourself, please. " Go to the courses first, and then open your mouth.

By the way, seven years ago my wife was unable to gather a group of six people for such courses. And now young people have a fashion for the Belarusian language. It's good. Interest groups must exist. Just don't force me. I do not want. I just defend my right to call the Russian language "matchynai movay". Everything is very simple: “matchyna mova” is not necessarily the Belarusian language, it is the language your mother speaks.

This substitution of concepts is not necessary. Because there is so much of it.

Let's say we had a population census. And then the intelligentsia staged a campaign: they say, write in the forms that your language is Belarusian. People do not speak Belarusian every day, but they wrote that they do. And now they link to that data. But this is a fake, a fake. I do not like it.

- How many people in your environment constantly use the Belarusian language?

One is Lyavon Volsky. And my circle of acquaintances is quite wide. At the same time, I am not talking about the professional Belarusian language. Because I have friends who honestly call themselves professional Belarusians.

More about Lyavon. I always tell him: "I like the way you talk, but I don't fucking understand." When there were seething about my position on the language, the only person who began to switch to Russian in communication with me was Volsky. Lyavon is an intelligent person. And for others, rejection of my position is a pose. Well, the pose is the pose.

- What was the most radical reaction to your performance?

There were calls, there were messages, there was rudeness, there were threats. I took screenshots, I keep. I can put everything out. In general, I like to "screenshot", I have a large collection. Nevertheless, I often call the police about improper parking, smoking in public places, fights. This is my civic position. Therefore, I record everything.

They wrote to me something like "If you speak Russian, blow to Russia." But this is ordinary fascism. If a person does not speak Belarusian, one cannot conclude that he does not love his homeland. Substitution of concepts again. I love my homeland. I'm putting things in order here. I call the police here, make the students throw cigarette butts into the trash, take them out, extinguish them if the gobies are not extinguished, and throw them away again. To love your homeland is at least not to spoil where you live. We all love to refer to good Germany. And Germany is an order that people establish around themselves. That's all.

At the same time, if we return to the reaction to my post, I remained in the black. On the street, people stopped me and said: "Thank you for your position." The situation is that I, a representative of the Russian-speaking majority, defend the right to speak Russian, receive information in Russian and defend myself against any attacks about the Russian language. And they are.

And again: I am not against the popularization of the language, but it is being carried out incorrectly.

- How will be correct?

If you make a really fantastic movie, the Russians will immediately translate it, and the Swedes will immediately titrate it. The majority of people will watch the film in Russian after a while. That is, the language will not save the cinema. If you write very good books in Belarusian that really deserve interest outside the republic, the same thing will happen. They will be translated into Russian. Because there is a giant country nearby with a powerful language.

That is, “Belarusian-speaking asyaroddze” decides which Belarusian language is the most Belarusian in our country, and then starts recording songs?

Of course. After that, the language can become fashionable. If young people are interested in the language, it should be supported. But don't force. The main thing is to respect each other and not impose anything on anyone.

- Any fashion has its own vulgar excesses ...

That's all that is happening now - this is a vulgar overkill. Let's take a menu of some establishments with Belarusian and English texts. We come to the same Lithuania, where absolutely anti-Russian sentiments exist, but we find signs in Russian there. Why? Because there are a lot of Russian tourists and because you have to earn money.

I have purely professional claims, for example, to the Adnak festival. I call it "Give Mr. ... well, another chance." Why do a special language-limited festival? This is ugliness from a professional point of view. And the task of advertising is to sell and make information convenient in order to capture a person.

It's good when the language is used for business. Here is the Khatni kvass. Everything is clear: this is our kvass, Belarusian. Product identification occurs through language. This is drop dead. This is a cool tool. And advertising, for example, Samsung in Belarusian is absolutely incomprehensible to me. It turns out that we limit the distribution of the product only to the Belarusian-speaking audience, which is in the minority. From a professional point of view, this is wrong. It is wrong to use advertising as educational bullshit. Advertising is about selling and promoting. So is the menu. You know, there are cafes in Minsk where I don't order food, because I don't understand what they offer me.

- Is the situation in which, in ten years time, this interview will be done in Belarusian, is it real?

For my part, no. Just because I'm lazy. This interview could have taken place in Belarusian in 1993. In 1989, we could have spoken French as well. But no longer [smiles].

According to UNESCO, the Belarusian language is in a catastrophic state. “It is under a potential threat of extinction” - this is the diagnosis received by the language of the indigenous population of the country, which was even indicated on a symbolic map called “World languages ​​in danger”. Why does he disappear? The answer is simple: it is almost never used in everyday communication. A small part of the intelligentsia, part of the conscious youth and old people - these are the main speakers of the language, which was used by millions 50 years ago.

“Nasha Niva” counted five dozen reasons why today's youth do not want to speak Belarusian. To do this, we interviewed about 300 students of the country's main universities ( we talked to someone in person, someone answered on Twitter and other social networks).

We have selected 50 of the most interesting answers: some of them are quite reasonable, others are primitive, but sincere, there are obscure and even offensive ones. But it is these answers that best reflect the "achievements" of the authorities in the development of linguistic culture and national consciousness.

You will not find an explanation in this material - only 50 answers to the question "Why don't you speak Belarusian?" Draw your own conclusions.

1). I don't know Belarusian at all.

2). They haven't taught me since childhood.

3). Nobody speaks to me in Belarusian, here I am the same way.

4). I don’t know enough to be able to easily express myself in it.

5). There is not enough time to study it.

6). I spend a lot of time outside Belarus. The Belarusian language is simply not needed.

7). If I start talking, I will not be understood at work.

eight). School, university, family - everything is in Russian.

nine). Despite the fact that the language is beautiful, there is an opinion that only collective farmers speak it. It is unenviable to seem the same in the eyes of society.

ten). I do not fully feel that I am a Belarusian as a representative of the nation.

eleven). My parents never insisted that I take the Belarusian language seriously.

12). Do not know much. I am a perfectionist. Either I'm doing great, or I'm not doing it at all.

13). I have basic knowledge, I can even keep up a conversation. But somehow it is easier for me to communicate in English.

fourteen). There is no need and no sense in this.

15). This language is more suitable for grandparents, but not for young people.

16). There is no patriotism.

17). A system of communication in Russian or English has long been established, no matter if it is a shop or an office.

eighteen). I like the Belarusian language, but it is not the leading one for me (acting or living).

19). I like Russian more.

twenty). At school he was allowed to skip.

21). I'm afraid they'll go to jail.

22). I do not like the sounds "g" and "h".

23). She entered honey and stopped.

24). I'm waiting for Apple to release IOS in Belarusian.

25). I'm embarrassed.

26). I talked for about 2 months. I'm tired of it. Hard.

27). My parents won't understand me if I suddenly start speaking Belarusian. They educate me all my life in Russian, and I am here "for the first time".

28). As soon as we join the EU - so immediately.

29). Today it is the language of the opposition. If you speak Belarusian, then you are going against the system.

thirty). I have enough of him in the subway.

31). There is little modern literature, there is nowhere to get knowledge.

32). Do not know! I envy the Ukrainians a little. Austria-Hungary helped them, as they still say in the West. And from us everything has been weathered long ago.

33). Politically insecure language.

34). What will change if I start talking?

35). He's a little funny.

36). It has become artificial today.

37). The language has not taken root in modern society, I personally speak the language of the majority.

38). I don’t recognize Trasyanka as a language, but I don’t know how to do it in another way.

39). "Belarusian language" is a Polish anti-Russian project. He has little more than nothing to do with the Belarusian people.

40). It is difficult to speak Belarusian when everything is in Russian.

41). Because there is no one just with.

42). I often use obscene language, but in Belarusian it is not. Seriously, I just don't know.

43) It is difficult to speak your native language, as its use is minimal, and some look at you as an alien.

44). To my shame, I can't normally. I think in Russian.

45). I don’t know very well, but it’s not quite decent to speak half-Russian-half-Belarusian.

46). I don't want to stand out, and practice is not enough.

47). Understand correctly, but somehow from birth I feel more Russian, although I myself am a Belarusian with a Polish surname. Somehow that direction is closer to my liking.

48). We have actually been part of the Russian Empire for 300 years. How can you speak Belarusian in such a situation?

49). It's more comfortable for me.

50). Does anyone need this?

Leave your comment. Let's formulate 50 ways to return life to the Belarusian language!

A few days ago, news spread via the bynet that a certain initiative group was collecting signatures in order to oblige all manufacturers of goods to draw up packaging in two state languages ​​at the same time. This is motivated by the fact that, allegedly, the absence of the Belarusian language on the packaging violates the rights of Belarusian-speaking citizens. This interpretation surprised me a little, I have been living in Balarus for 20 years and during this time I heard Belarusian speech literally 1-2 times in everyday communication, so I decided to conduct a little research and find out how much the Belarusian language is in demand in Belarus.

Conducting polls on this topic is a thankless task - people are very cunning and deceiving during the questionnaire, as according to the results of the last census, the Belarusian was called native by 53% of the population. It is obvious to any resident of the Republic of Belarus that this does not correspond to reality, the Belarusian speech is not heard either on the street, or in clubs, or in restaurants, or in public transport, or at work, or in other places where people gather. People speak Russian, no half of the Belarusian-speaking population is in question.

The best way to find out everything about a person is to look at his page on the social network. Here is all his communication, all his correspondence and interests, here he can afford to be himself and here, consciously or unconsciously, puts almost all the information about himself.

Almost the entire socially active population of Belarus is registered in the contact - 5 million 239 thousand people:

The total population of the country is 9.5 million, we cut off babies, children and decrepit old people - everything fits together. The contact has all the possibilities for communication in Belarusian - there is a Belarusian interface, you can specify Belarusian as the language of communication. Let's see how many people indicated the Belarusian language on their contact page:

In addition to the classic Belarusian, there is an opportunity to choose a tarashkevitsa:

In total, out of 5 million 200 thousand people, Belarusian on their page indicated 290,156 people - a little more than 5%, this is very little, the Belarusians indicate English in their profiles even more often:

And even this figure does not reflect the real number of Belarusian-speaking citizens of the country, the screenshots clearly show that the questionnaires in which Belarusian is indicated as the language used are drawn up in Russian. This is an extremely important indicator, a person for whom the Belarusian language is native, and who has the opportunity to use the resource in Belarusian, will switch the interface to Belarusian mode, indicate his name in Belarusian, albums with photographs and notes on the wall will be written in Belarusian, as this person for example:

Let's see how many Belarusians are in contact who actually use the Belarusian language in everyday communication, as Ales does. I enter into the search the most common names, first in Belarusian, then in Russian. First name Ivan:

There were only 8 people in the whole country of Belarusian Ivana. Let's see how many Ivanov are Russian-speaking:

55 thousand 547 people - the difference is 7 thousand times. Perhaps Ivan is not the most popular name in Belarus, let's try another:

Mikalayaў there are 82 people in the whole of Belarus, and Nikolaev:

Forty-eight thousand, already better, a difference of 585 times. I'll try a few more popular names:

Alyaksandraў for the whole of Belarus 332 people, and Alexandrov 226 thousand:

The Uladzimir \ Vladimir ratio is 1 to 410:

I think these examples are enough, you can substitute any name, the ratio will be similar. We are not talking about a third of the population, not about the percentage of the population, we are talking about per thousand. Almost no one speaks Belarusian in everyday life - several thousand people out of 9.5 million.

Output

De facto, the population has no demand for the Belarusian language, the language is practically dead, so the obligation to label products in both languages ​​is stupid and counterproductive. There are more people with vision in the country than Belarusian-speaking citizens, it would be more logical to oblige manufacturers to mark packaging in Braille, there would be more benefits from such an initiative. I really hope that the collection of signatures will continue with the same success as now, then with practically zero, then one obligation in an already too obligatory country will be less.

Exactly 2 months have passed, the petition, which was written about by all major Belarusian media, collected 4423 signatures. Actually, what was required to prove

A little more educational program:

There was a time when our Riga made the same impression on tourists. "Why is there nowhere and nothing in Russian written - all the same, there is Russian speech around, and your question will be answered in Russian?" Indeed, even in the menu of restaurants popular among tourists, they wrote only and exclusively in Latvian.

And the locals had to explain to the guests about our national peculiarities - about the law on the state language and cautious entrepreneurs, and so on, so on ...

Now we have these difficulties with translation and excesses, it seems, for the most part, are already behind us - graduates of our Russian schools began to speak Latvian en masse, and regardless of their nationality. Yes, and foreigners in Riga's restaurant bars are no longer a nightmare in the Latvian language: the restaurant and hotel business in Latvia has grown to respect the client, communicating in a language that he understands.

Everything is different in Belarus. There are two official languages ​​here - Belarusian and Russian. Moreover

Russian in Belarus received the status of the state language as a result of a referendum: in the mid-90s, more than 80 percent of all participants in the referendum voted for.

After all, the linguistic situation in the country is special, unique in its own way for the former post-Soviet space.

About 15 percent of the population consider themselves Russian in Belarus, but two-thirds of the Belarusian-speaking residents choose Russian in their family and everyday life. And only 6 percent of Belarusians constantly use the Belarusian language. However, sociological studies and census data give different figures. But on the streets of Vitebsk, for example, the predominance of Russian visitors immediately catches the eye.

Experts believe that the language situation in Belarus today resembles that of Ireland.

The country has been free from political dependence on Great Britain for a long time, but English clearly dominates here. And Irish, although it is considered the state language, is supported only by the efforts of the national intelligentsia.

Lost in translation

In my presence, one of my colleagues asked a Belarusian philology student: does anyone speak Belarusian here?

Yes, it turns out, say the writers, journalists, representatives of the nationally oriented intelligentsia. In rural areas, many people speak, but hardly in pure Belarusian.

Rather - depending on the geography of the region - on a local mixture of Belarusian with Russian, Ukrainian or Polish.

And if it's so easy on the street to address a person in Belarusian, then what? With a high probability, he will answer you in Belarusian, but this is not a fact. On Pushkin Street, where on the occasion of the city's holiday and weekends, craftsmen and Vitebsk artists were set up tables with souvenirs, we got into a conversation with a local resident Ivan. Including - about the Belarusian language.

Ivan also says to me: they say, it happens that he himself is reproached that he is a Belarusian, but for some reason he speaks Russian.

But what good is it to him, offering a product, to talk to a person in a language that he does not understand at all? ..

After all, there are townspeople and a lot of tourists on a pedestrian. And the Russian language is equally understandable to everyone. The native language of my interlocutor is Belarusian, and he speaks Russian in most situations in life. Which fully confirms the statistics.

... and the joy of recognition

By the way, both the Latvian and Lithuanian speech in Vitebsk also sounds quite often. In any case, during the three days in the city, I happened to meet my compatriots more than once. Vitebsk is still geographically very close to Latvia - it's only 230 km from our Kraslava, and even less to the border.

Cross-border cooperation between Latvia, Lithuania and Belarus is developing, and the Vitebsk region is geographically included in such programs.

The Belarusian holiday Kupala is like our Ligo. Photo: Vasily Fedosenko, Reuters / Scanpix

Latgale has a lot in common with Vitebsk region.

There are family and friendship ties, the habit of visiting each other or buying overstock at neighbors is still preserved, the price difference is great.

Look at how many cars with Belarusian license plates are parked at the Daugavpils shopping center on weekends! By the way, we were in Vitebsk just in those days when journalists from Belarus who wrote about tourism were visiting Latvia - including Kuldiga and Riga.

Take a curious look at Vizit Jurmala's Facebook page, how fun the Belarusians are learning Latvian on this trip: and the vocabulary is completely different from the one taught at school, but the most suitable for strengthening friendship and cooperation!

Language as a national flavor

In Vitebsk I met people in national "embroidered shirts" - just on the street, in a crowd of passers-by. Occasionally, but met. But basically there was an impression that the bright signs of Belarusian originality were transferred to the region national flavor, such as is shown mainly on patriotic holidays and to foreign tourists.

We have heard the same beautiful Belarusian MOV - in lively and figurative speech and in a song version - only once, and in a museum. Thanks to Raisa Gribovich, actress of the Vitebsk National Academic Drama Theater named after Yakub Kolas!

How delicious she speaks and sings beautifully!

Raisa Gribovich, actress of the Yakub Kolas National Academic Drama Theater. Photo: Tatiana Odynya / Russian TVNET

We were lucky to listen to it by pure chance. Some important Chinese guests were expected in the Repin estate Zdravnevo near Vitebsk. And while they were driving - Raisa Stepanovna and the participants of the Vitebsk festival "PhotoKrok" sang wonderful with all her heart.

"Vitebsk residents" or - "Vitebsk residents"?

The residents of the city have another linguistic and principled dispute: how should they call themselves correctly?

In Minsk, the townspeople are Minskers, in Moscow - Muscovites, and in the city of Vitebsk - who? ..

There are two colloquially practiced variants - Vitebsk residents and Vitebsk residents. Moreover, both are considered to be practically equal in rights. Those who come from hereditary townspeople in several generations are in favor of "Vitebsk".

And they tell, by the way, such a story. When the city of Vitebsk - even under Soviet rule - was preparing to solemnly celebrate its 1000th anniversary, the chaste party members considered it completely indecent in the "Vitebsk" this very " fucking"... And they began to intensively introduce into the minds and speech of Vitebsk residents a new" Vitebsk citizens "...

So the old-timers consider one of the names imposed by philologists-ideologists at the behest of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus. Maybe this is true, or maybe fiction, no one will say for sure.

Embroidered shirts, Belarusian character and the memory of the war

Having declared its independence, Belarus clearly did not follow the path of creating an ethno-national state. Or rather, already during the presidency of Alexander Lukashenko, she abandoned this path. There are, of course, today individual actions to promote signs and symbols of national identity to the masses. And they enjoy state support.

Humanly attractive shares are also among them. For example,

This year the kids born on the eve of the Independence Day were given gifts with the meaning: “Padars are not maulyatsi vyshyvanka” - this is the name of the recent action in Belarusian.

Starting from June 15, the newborns received embroidered shirts with traditional Belarusian ornament.

Many signs play the role of a talisman, so they presented wonderful clothes to parents in different regions of the country of kids.

But for people it is rather exotic.

The historical memory, the memory of the old war, sacred to Belarusians, is another matter - today you cannot imagine the Belarusian character without it.

When you admire the modern city of Vitebsk, you cannot even imagine that after its liberation by Soviet troops, there was no city in this place ... Of the 180 thousand people of its pre-war population ... 118 people remained. More than 90 percent of the housing stock has been destroyed ...

The American allies are said to have sent a commission to assess the damage. And, having visited the ruins of Vitebsk, they said: dead, they say, this is a city and there is no such force that could bring it back to life ... That's when not only a savvy guide tells you about all this, but many townspeople, including very young, then you understand something important, real, important about the city and the townspeople.

Memorial in honor of Soviet soldiers, partisans and underground workers of the Vitebsk region. Image Credit Flickr User tjabeljan

"And be sure to go to" Three Bayonets "! .." My acquaintance Ivan, an artist from Vitebsk pedestrian, a young bartender and many other people all three days advise that in Vitebsk you should definitely see

... Three Bayonets is a memorial complex in honor of Soviet soldiers, partisans and underground fighters in the Vitebsk region, built in Soviet times, and now replenished with old military equipment and turned into an open-air park-museum.

Late Sunday evening is not the best time to visit such places. But, one has only to climb the stairs with the embankment crowded with beer rows, as you can see: there are people here even at night.

Illuminating a flashlight, a late family with children examines the park's military equipment ... Teenagers with bicycles stand for a long time by the eternal flame. Young guys wander, serious conversations talk ...

Here is such a strange city - Vitebsk.