Polyglot Legacy
Multilingualism in the History and Literature of Ukraine
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
Linguistic pluralism in literature as well as in everyday life is a characteristic of Ukraine. This relaxed multilingualism is a legacy of the multi-ethnic European empires to which the country belonged throughout its history. In Western Europe, however, this was often seen as a sign of unfinished nation-building. Only recently has the German public discovered the positive potential of Ukraine’s linguistic diversity. This applies in particular to the field of literature, where multilingualism has produced a special richness of forms and timbres. However, the war that Russia thrust upon Ukraine in February 2022 also threatens to destroy this unique mobility and openness.
(Osteuropa 6-8/2022, pp. 41–52)