Affect and Authenticity: Shifting Emotional Reactions to Standard and Non-Standard Ukrainian Language in Wartime

• In Event: Languages and Language Ideologies in Wartime Ukraine

Abstract

This paper examines examples from participant observation and online social media posts of emotional responses triggered both by language choice (Ukrainian or Russian) and by perceived purity (adherence to or deviation from standard literary norms). While revulsion to surzhyk (mixed Ukrainian-Russian language) has not disappeared, there has been a growth in more positive reactions to non-standard language. The trend away from linguistic purism reflects an embrace of the linguistic diversity of Ukraine and a desire for solidarity with fellow Ukrainians from different regions and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Author

• Laada M. Bilaniuk, U of Washington