ПОСТКОЛОНІАЛЬНІ СИНДРОМИ: ПСИХОЛОГІЧНИЙ ВПЛИВ НА ВИБІР МОВИ В УКРАЇНСЬКО-РОСІЙСЬКОМУ ДВОМОВНОМУ СЕРЕДОВИЩІ

Abstract

Abstract: The article presents the results of a survey that is a follow up of research on Ukrainian-Russian bilingualism, which began in 2011 in Vinnytsia (Central Ukraine). The target audience comprised high school students aged 15–18 (483 respondents). In this survey, we aimed to determine whether there have been changes in the psychological factors influencing language choice in bilingual settings compared to a similar survey run in 2016. The survey was conducted using a questionnaire distribution method. The survey results reveal an increase in interest in the Ukrainian language compared to 2016. According to the findings, most students identify Ukrainian as their mother tongue. Throughout the observation period, the percentage of students recognizing Ukrainian as their native language has remained high (from 87 % in 2011 to 96 % in 2024). Regarding language tolerance, the latest survey indicates that the number
of Ukrainian-speaking respondents switching to Russian when addressed in Russian has sharply decreased: in 2016, 31 % of respondents stated they would respond in Ukrainian, while in 2024, this figure was 67 %. Since 2018, the percentage of high school students starting a conversation with a stranger in Ukrainian has increased from 70 % to 94 %. A comparison of psychological factors indicates polarization of attitudes between Ukrainian-speaking and Russian-speaking high school students. Among Ukrainian speakers, the three main reasons why respondents do not use Russian are: 1) “no need to use Russian” (59 % in 2016 and 73 % in 2024); 2) “secondary unattractive language” (increased from 24 % in 2016 to 62 % in 2024); 3) “consider Russian language unprestigious” (13 % in 2016 and 45 % in 2024). External factors (war with Russia) and internal factors (willingness/unwillingness to be tolerant towards someone who speaks another language) affect the change of attitude towards the choice of language in bilingual conditions.
Keywords: Ukrainian-Russian bilingualism, Bilingualism, Psychological Factors Influencing Bilingualism Formation, Language Tolerance, Language
stability, language prestige, language pendulum effect.