UKRAINIAN LANGUAGE AS STATE LANGUAGE: GENERAL AND LAW DISCOURSE

Andrii KUCHUK, Kateryna VETOSHKO

KUCHUK A., VETOSHKO K. (2022), Ukrainian language as state language: general and law discourse, Scientific Bulletin of Dnipropetrovsk State University of Internal Affairs, Special Issue №1, 24-29

DOI: 10.31733/2078-3566-2022-5-24-29

 

ABSTRACT. The topicality of the study is determined by the necessity to cover the importance of the Ukrainian language as the state language in building and further development of the Ukrainian state. It is indicated that before the russian aggression, the issue of the legal status of the Ukrainian language did not become the subject of a comprehensive study of jurisprudence, and certain aspects of the Ukrainian language’s functions within the state were the subject of epistemology mainly of philologists.

The purpose of the study is to focus attention on the necessity to perceive the language through its state-building role, on the importance of fulfilling the requirements for ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language in all spheres of society.

Emphasis is placed on certain provisions of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine decisions in cases related to the status of the Ukrainian language as the state language and ensuring its functioning in Ukraine. Examples of language legislation violations by individual subjects of political activity are given.

It is pointed out the positive experience of European states in ensuring the functioning of the state language, forming a discourse on the important role of language in state building. For European states, the position on the importance of the state language, which is considered as the basis of state building, as the foundation of statehood, is quite obvious.

It is argued that the recognition of the Ukrainian language as the state language in Ukraine is a great achievement of the Ukrainian people (based on the nation-building and state-building function of the language). Throughout the entire historical development, the Ukrainian people and their language were oppressed. However, despite all the obstacles, the Ukrainian language is currently legislated as the state language. Accordingly, the state must ensure the comprehensive development and functioning of the Ukrainian language in all spheres of public life throughout the territory of Ukraine.

It is summarized that the implementation of the task of establishing the Ukrainian language as the state language by public authorities in Ukrainian society turned out to be insufficiently effective. We could observe the process of narrowing its use, which became one of the factors of social tension and affected the provision of national security of the Ukrainian state. Today, it is the state authorities that have an important duty to convey the role of the Ukrainian language, which was noted in the decision of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. There can be no Ukrainian state without the Ukrainian language.

Keywords: state language, state-building, Constitutional Court of Ukraine, public authorities, Ukrainian language.

References

  1. Konstytutsiya Ukrayiny [Constitution of Ukraine]. 28.06.1996. Vidomosti Verkhovnoyi Rady Ukrayiny. 1996. No 30, art. 141. [in Ukr.]
  2. Pro zabezpechennia funktsionuvannia ukrainskoi movy yak derzhavnoi [On Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as a State Language]. Zakon Ukrainy vid 25.04.2019. URL : https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2704-19#Text. [in Ukr.]
  3. Zvernennia do Prezydenta Ukrainy Volodymyra Zelenskoho vid doktora filolohichnykh nauk, profesora, dyrektora Instytutu ukrainskoi movy NAN Ukrainy, diisnoho chlena NTSh, chlena Politychnoi rady Narodnoho Rukhu Ukrainy Pavla Hrytsenka [Address to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi …]. URL : https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068168514803. [in Ukr.]
  4. Masenko, L. T. (2005) Ukrainska mova v sotsiolinhvistychnomu aspekti [Ukrainian Language in Social and Linguistic Aspect] : avtoref. dys. …d-ra filol. Nauk : 10.02.01 / Natsionalʹnyy universytet “Kyyevo-Mohylyansʹka akademiya”. Kyiv, 40 p. [in Ukr.]
  5. Yermolenko, S. Ya. (2007) Mova i ukrainoznavchyi svitohliad [Language and Ukrainian Studies Worldview]. Kyiv : NDIU. 444 p. [in Ukr.]
  6. Yankovska H. V. (2014) Funktsii derzhavnoi movy [State Language Functions]. Legal Scientific Electronic Journal. No. 5, pp. 23-27. [in Ukr.]
  7. Shyshkin, V. I. Mova yak skladnyk derzhavotvorennia. [Language as a State Formation Component]. URL : http://urp1990.com.ua/s68-mova-yak-skladnik-derjavotvorennya. [in Ukr.]
  8. Kravchenko, S. P. (2000) Mova yak faktor pravoutvorennia ta zakonotvorennia [Language as a factor in law-making and the law-making]: avtoref. dys. … kand. yuryd. nauk : 12.00.01 / Odesʹka derzhavna yurydychna akademiya. Odesa.. 20 p. [in Ukr.]
  9. Osnovni funktsii movy yak suspilnoho yavyshcha. [Main Functions of Language as a Social Phenomenon]. URL : https://lektsii.com/1-16558.html. [in Ukr.]
  10. Ukrayinsʹka mova : entsyklopediya [Ukrainian language: encyclopedia] ; redkol.: V. M. Rusanivsʹkyy ta in.– Vyd. 2-e, vypr. i dop. Kyyiv : Vyd-vo “Ukr. Entsykl.” im. M. P. Bazhana, 2004. 820 p. [in Ukr.]
  11. Rishennia Konstytutsiinoho Sudu Ukrainy u spravi za konstytutsiinymy podanniamy 51 narodnoho deputata Ukrainy pro ofitsiine tlumachennia polozhen statti 10 Konstytutsii Ukrainy shchodo zastosuvannia derzhavnoi movy orhanamy derzhavnoi vlady, orhanamy mistsevoho samovriaduvannia ta vykorystannia yii u navchalnomu protsesi v navchalnykh zakladakh Ukrainy (sprava pro zastosuvannia ukrainskoi movy) vid 14 hrudnia 1999 roku № 10-rp/99 [Decision of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine … from December 14, 1999 No. 10-rp/99]. Offitsiynyy visnyk Ukrayiny. 2000. No. 4, pp. 125. [in Ukr.]
  12. Pidozriuvanyi prosyt suddiu hovoryty ukrainskoiu movoiu [The suspect asks the judge to speak in Ukrainian]. URL : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1AUYAwjUh4. [in Ukr.]
  13. Postanova Lvivskoho okruzhnoho administratyvnoho sudu m. Lviv vid 14.09.2015, sprava No. 813/4324/15. [Resolution of the Lviv District Administrative Court of Lviv … No. 813/4324/15]. URL : https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/50789396. [in Ukr.]
  14. Pro derzhavnu sluzhbu: Zakon Ukrainy vid 10.12.2015 [On civil service: the Law of Ukraine dated December 10, 2015]. Vedomosti Verkhovnoyi Rady Ukrayiny. 2016. No. 4, art. 43. [in Ukr.]
  15. Rishennia Konstytutsiinoho Sudu Ukrainy u spravi za konstytutsiinym podanniam 51 narodnoho deputata Ukrainy shchodo vidpovidnosti Konstytutsii Ukrainy (konstytutsiinosti) Zakonu Ukrainy “Pro zabezpechennia funktsionuvannia ukrainskoi movy yak derzhavnoi” vid 14.07.2021. [Decision of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine … from 14.07.2021]. URL : https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/v001p710-21#Text. [in Ukr.]
Views: 4,107