Language Dynamics in the Diaspora: Shifting Language Attitudes among Ukrainian War Refugees in Lithuania

• In Event: Shifting Language Policies and Practices in the Shadow of the War in Ukraine (I)

Abstract

The eruption of full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022 forced thousands of Ukrainians to seek refuge in Lithuania. As Ukrainians considered various factors in choosing their destination, language emerged as a critical consideration. Although most Ukrainians are bilingual in Ukrainian and Russian, recent research indicates a notable acceleration of Ukrainization resulting from the ongoing conflict (Zeller, 2022).
This study investigates the impact of the ongoing war on the shift of language attitudes among Ukrainian women war immigrants in Lithuania. Through semi-structured interviews conducted in the summer of 2023, we explored language attitudes and use among this specific group. The research unveiled that all respondents were multilingual, with Russian being the primary language for most and Ukrainian for the rest. Significantly, a substantial proportion of Russian-speaking refugees, spanning various age groups and educational backgrounds, expressed a deliberate shift away from the Russian language, often citing emotional reasons (cf. Garret, 2010). Only a minority of Russian-speaking interviewees showed indifference toward language choice.
Interestingly, despite the availability and promotion of Lithuanian language courses, Ukrainian refugees found relative comfort in Lithuania due to the population’s proficiency in Russian. While some preferred Russian for its convenience, others aspired for their children to be proficient in both English and Lithuanian. The preference for using Ukrainian over Russian remains unclear, especially during their residence in a foreign country. This study sheds light on the evolving language dynamics within the Ukrainian diaspora in Lithuania, providing insights into the complex interplay of language attitudes, emotional factors, and societal integration.

References:
Garret, P. 2010. Attitudes to language. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Zeller, P. 2022. Attitudes on languages, identities, and politics at the Ukrainian Black Sea coast in 2020/21. Russian Linguistics 46(2): 1-21.

Authors

• Ineta Dabašinskienė, Vytautas Magnus University

• Alona Shyba, Vytautas Magnus University