On or in Ukraine: how to write and speak correctly according to the rules of the Russian language?

In modern Russian there are many controversial points. Among them is the question of how to correctly write: "in Ukraine" or "in Ukraine". In connection with the conflict that began in 2014 between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, this is actively speculated by the politicians of both countries. However, if we abstract away from all this and concentrate on linguistics, what is the correct use of the pretext? Let's figure it out.

Does grammar depend on politics?

Whatever the linguistic scientists have beaten themselves in the chest, asserting the independence of the rules of the language from the political situation, it is necessary to recognize that this is not so.

The fact is that only a dead language is stable. Live speech is constantly changing, adapting to new cultural, technological and political realities. After all, language is first and foremost an instrument of communication. So, it should be most comfortable for this purpose and evolve along with the society using it, otherwise it will die.

In this regard, each controversial linguistic question must be considered in relation to the situation that caused its appearance.

What pretexts used by the ancient chroniclers

Before paying attention to the question: "How correctly is the word" in Ukraine "or" in Ukraine "written?", It is worthwhile to recall briefly the history of this country.

So, after the collapse of Kievan Rus, its lands were divided among themselves by neighboring principalities. It is noteworthy that the head of each of them tried to emphasize that he is the heir of this state, adding to his title the prefix "All Russia".

Over time, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Grand Duchy of Moscow and the Kingdom of Poland became the strongest in this region. They fought actively among themselves for free territory, which became a kind of buffer zone between them and the states of nomadic peoples.

Meanwhile, on these lands (belonging to the territory of modern Ukraine) there lived a people with their own culture and language, who managed to preserve all this.

Due to constant wars, the borders were constantly changing. The surrounding countries began to refer to disputed lands as "Okraina", and the pretext "on" began to be applied to them. The first examples of such writing are already found in the Galicia-Volyn and Lvov annals.

In the period of Bogdan Khmelnitsky's attempts to form an independent state in official documents in relation to Ukraine, he continued the tradition of his ancestors, using the pretext "on".

During the Russian Empire

After Khmelnitsky signed an agreement on the annexation of his subordinate country to the Moscow kingdom in 1654, Ukraine for several centuries remained part of this state and its heirs (the Russian Empire, the USSR). How was the pretext used then?

After the Moscow kingdom became an empire, the official term "Little Russia" began to be referred to the Cossack state. At the same time, the word "Ukraine" continued to be used actively in the speech. In the same period, there is a tradition of writing "to Ukraine", which successfully coexisted with the option "to Ukraine."

What thought of the use of prepositions AS Pushkin?

Everyone knows that the modern literary norm of the Russian language was based on the works of Alexander Pushkin. What did the great classic think about the question: "How to write correctly:" in Ukraine "or" in Ukraine "?".

Strangely enough, but in his works quite often there is a second option. Such a spelling can be found in the poem "Poltava" and the novel in verse "Eugene Onegin".

Why did Alexander Sergeevich adhere to this opinion? The answer is simple. Like many noblemen of that period, Pushkin spoke much better in French than in his native language. And in it the preposition "on" in relation to the location was not used. Instead, we almost always used the option "c" (en). Therefore, having grown accustomed to thinking and talking from childhood, en Russie, en France, writing a poem about Ukraine, Alexander Sergeevich, by analogy, used en Ukraine.

By the way, for the same reason in those years, many noblemen, to the question: "How correctly to say:" to "or" in Ukraine "?", Answered that the second option is correct. Therefore, in the works of N. Gogol, L. N. Tolstoy and A. P. Chekhov, the version with "c" is used.

What pretexts did TG Shevchenko and PA Kulish use?

The modern Ukrainian language norm is based on the works of TG Shevchenko. What did he think about the question: "How correctly to say:" on "or" in Ukraine "?". The answer to this can be found in his remarkable poems.

And in them there are both variants. So in the poem "Zapovit" is used the expression "On Vkraїnі milіі". At the same time in his work "Dumi moi, dumi moi" it is written: "To Ukraine, children, children! To our Ukraine ».

Where did Shevchenko come from the tradition of writing "to Ukraine"? But his contemporary and close friend - Panteleimon Alexandrovich Kulish, who created the Ukrainian alphabet, wrote "in the Ukraine" in his novel about the Cossacks "Chernaya Rada"? And why did Kobzar use both pretexts?

The answer to this question, as in the case of Pushkin, is to be found in the education of both writers. So, Kulish not only studied the history of Ukraine, but also was a polyglot, speaking beautifully in almost all Slavic languages, as well as English, French, German, Spanish, Swedish, Old Jewish and Latin. Such wide knowledge helped him to choose the preposition "on" not only from the point of view of grammar, but because of his frequent use in the annals.

But the great Kobzar could not boast of a special education. Since childhood he knew the Ukrainian language, later necessity forced him to learn Russian and Polish. Not possessing such deep knowledge of languages and their grammar as Kulish, Shevchenko simply used the variant that was more suitable for rhyme when writing poetry, without thinking about its correctness. How did he know how much of his work would mean for Ukrainians in future centuries?

What pretext was used in UPR

After the revolution of 1917, during the three-year period of the UPR (1917-1920), in most official documents, the pretext "on" was used with respect to the name of the newly-formed country.

It is interesting that when Ukraine joined the USSR, and many representatives of the cultural and political elite were forced to emigrate, in most of their documents they were more often wrote "in Ukraine."

The Soviet way of solving the problem

As for the official spelling of the USSR, it was customary to use the preposition "on". By the way, it is this argument that is used today by those who explain why it is correct "in Ukraine", and not "in Ukraine".

At the same time, such a variant was already an exception to the rules for the use of prepositions. So in relation to other countries other than the island type, as well as to the Soviet republics, the preposition "in" was used. For example: to Canada, to Kazakhstan.

"In Ukraine" or "in Ukraine": as correctly, according to the norms of modern Ukrainian spelling

After Ukraine gained independence in 1991, many spheres were reformed, including grammar. It was decided to use the preposition "in" in relation to the newly-formed country. And writing from "to" is perceived as outdated.

In 1993, the government of Ukraine formally appealed to the leadership of the Russian Federation with a request to use the preposition "in" in relation to the name of their state. As it was with the writing of other independent countries.

Among the arguments was that when Ukraine was part of the USSR, with respect to it, as to the region, it was acceptable to use the "on" option, just like "in the Caucasus". However, becoming a separate sovereign state with clearly delineated borders, this country was to get the right to be written accordingly to "c".

How correctly "in Ukraine" or "in Ukraine" by the rules of the Russian language

In response to the appeal of the Government of Ukraine, most of the official documents of the Russian Federation began to use the pretext "in".

Also, according to O. Grunchenko, candidate of philological sciences (senior researcher of the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of the Russian Vinogradov Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences), the documentation concerning the relationship with the Ukrainian state should be written "in". At the same time, the literary norm of the Russian language outside the official business style continues to be a variant with "on".

The same answer to the question: "How to write correctly:" on "or" in Ukraine "?" Can be found in the official spelling.

It is important to note that Ukraine is the only independent non-island state in the world, in relation to which the pretext "in", rather than "in" is used in Russian.

At the same time, it should be taken into account that this option for today is just a tribute to tradition. Should I save it? The controversial issue, especially today, in the light of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, when Ukrainians perceive the use of the pretext "on" as an encroachment on the sovereignty of their state.

How to "ride" correctly

Having dealt with how correctly: "on" or "in Ukraine" is worth writing, it's time to learn how to "travel" to this country (in terms of grammar).

So, in the Soviet tradition, the variant with the pretext "on" was always topical, since this country was part of the USSR. Those who continue to use this option today will go "to Ukraine."

However, in the official documentation concerning relations with this country, one should use the preposition "c". For example: "The US President went to Ukraine on an official visit." At the same time, when it is said about this state as a territory, it is necessary to put the pretext "on": "The humanitarian mission of the Red Cross came to the territory of Ukraine".

Reflecting on how to correctly travel "to" or "to Ukraine", it is always worth looking at the context. If you talk about the country until August 1991, when it became independent, you can safely use "on". After all, until this time the state did not exist, and in its place was the USSR - the republic, to which as a part of the country the pretext "on" was applied.

Come "with" or "from Ukraine": how correctly

Having dealt with how to correctly write: "in Ukraine" or "in Ukraine", it is worth paying attention to the use of other "controversial" pretexts. So, when it was said about a person who came from the territory of the Ukrainian SSR, the Soviet spelling rules, the preposition "c" was always used.

But today, when the question of how correctly "on" or "in Ukraine" is increasingly appearing in linguistics, it is worthwhile to reconsider the use of prepositions "with" and "of".

So, if we talk and write about the modern Ukrainian state, then it is correct to use the preposition "from", as for other countries not of an island type. For example: "My mother just returned from Ukraine".

If we are talking about the periods of the Ukrainian SSR or Little Russia, then it is worthwhile to say and write "c". For example: "The great Soviet singer and actor Mark Bernes was from Ukraine."

However, for those who do not want to understand all these historical subtleties, it is worth remembering that in one meaning prepositions "on" and "with", and accordingly - "in" and "from" are used. It turns out that the one who lives "in Ukraine" - comes "from Ukraine". And the one who "in Ukraine" - comes "from Ukraine."

Learning how to correctly: "on" or "in Ukraine" need to write (according to the rules of modern Russian and Ukrainian grammar), we can conclude that for almost 100 years this issue is more political than linguistic. Although the tradition of writing "in the Ukraine" is part of a story that is always important to remember, a modern political situation requires that the preposition be changed. However, the same should be done in Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which are also used pretext "on" in relation to Ukraine.