독립 벨라루스 공화국의 언어상황 연구

Abstract

This study aims to review the short history of language situations in Belarus and to examine the changes and consequences of the language policy during the Soviet period and 4~5 years after the independence. 25 years after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russian is the national and most important language in Belarus, unlike in other post-Soviet Republics. As a matter of fact, 100% of Belarusians can speak Russian and approximately 5% of people can speak Belarusian fluently. In Belarus, the Russian language holds the status of the state language due to its cultural and historical background, rather than a friendly relationship between Russia and Belarus. More than 80% of the residents are virtually Belarusian-Russians in every public sector and personal activity. Russian is a mandatory language of all secondary schools in addition to the Belarusian. Moreover, the Russian-speaking population of Belarus is treated not as foreigners, but as members of the state, and is seen as part of the state-forming nation. The reason is that the indigenous titular ethnic Belarusians are officially considered to constitute the Republic of Belarus, and Russians are also included as a state-forming nation in Belarus.