Posted on 02/23/2014 1:19:23 AM PST by Don W
Fellow FReepers, know this:
In Russian, the ukraine means "the frontier".
To Ukrainians, Ukraine means HOME.
We don't call it "The France", or "The Germany", or "The Mexico", etc.
Drop the "the" and correctly use the nation's name uncorrupted by the oligarchs in "mothertrucker Russia".
Noticed Glen Beck repeatedly calling it “THE Ukraine” and went hoarse screaming at the TV...maybe next time I’ll try like email or something.
The Netherlands.
The Philippines.
The Congo.
Argentinians call their country “La Argentina.”
The Sudan
The USA.
THE Peoples Republic Of Kalifornia (New York, etc.)
Well, you are entitled to your own stupid opinion, no matter how wrong you are...
Being of Ukrainian descent, I suppose such “trivial” things mean more to me than you.
Long ago I learned that the word vegetarian meant “really lousy hunter that relied on the womenfolk to feed him”.
Right on the money. My fiancé is Ukrainian. People need to understand that partition was a generation ago. Ukrainians self identify as Ukrainian not Russo-Ukrainian or other garbage descriptions.
“Comments?”
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My only comment is that you are absolutely correct.
LOL now that’s “The Truth”.
The Bronx.
La Havana
The Hague
The Congo
Russians call it “the Ukraine” except.....there is no definite article in Russian.
Ikraine
Ukraine
He/she/itkraines
Wekraine
Theykraine
And then there’s my favorite actress, Jeannekraine...
(Yes, I’m just kidding; if it’s any consolation I’m trying to break myself of the “The Ukraine” habit, but it’s about as hard on the old brain as, well, not calling the place above Ukraine “the Soviet Union,” or referring to Saigon as “Ho Chi Minh City”)
There are also “Ukrainians” who have been in Kiev for many generations, who are Kievan Rus... ie they speak and have always spoken russian, and ukrainian was at best a second language. They are also Orthodox and not Catholic, that still does not mean they were ever pro russian.
Before the communists came, both my grandfather and grandmother came from families that spoke russian and french at home. During World War II, my grandparents and father managed to escape westward, the rest of the family stayed behind. Some eventually moved to Riga, but since the fall of communism they are no longer welcome there.
What is the difference between written Russian and Ukrainian languages ?
Ukrainian is a Cyrillic employing several Lathin letters. Russian is fully original.
What is the connection to written Greek ?
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