Topical Issues of the Ukrainian Language and Speech Culture Were Discussed in Ostroh Academy

November 05, 2015

At the National University of Ostroh Academy the fifth all-Ukrainian scientific-practical conference «Actual Problems of the Ukrainian Language and Speech Culture» took place. The event brought together leading scientists from around thirty universities.

«We have great multitude today. Like every year there are a lot of different schools. This contributes to the theme of the conference, because the problem of the Ukrainian language and speech culture is the problem of all of us. It is declared that our state language is Ukrainian, but in fact we have different situation. The Ukrainian language position largely depends on educators — teachers, lecturers. I hope that today’s event will be an important step in the development and consolidation of our native language»,

The conference participants were welcomed to the plenary by Doctor of Sciences (Philosophy), Professor, Vice-Rector of Educational and Scientific Affairs of the National University of Ostroh Academy Petro Kraliuk. Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Higher School of Ukraine, Head of the Department of the Ukrainian Language and Literature of the National University of Ostroh Academy Ivan Khom’iak stressed out in his report the importance of literary norms of the modern Ukrainian language. Chief specialist of the contents of the Secondary Education of the Department of the Secondary and Preschool Education of Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine Olena Kotusenko spoke about current issues of the Ukrainian language in schools.

«The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine initiates the continuation of work on the state program of development and functioning of the Ukrainian language. The Ministry has proposed to establish a working group that would monitor the problems of the Ukrainian language in Ukrainian educational estableshments — from kindergartens to universities. Questions about studying the Ukrainian language by refugees and foreigners remain relevant»,

Much attention was focused on the culture of the language in a report by Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor, Corresponding Member of NAS of Ukraine, Head of the Style and Sulture Department of the Institute of the Ukrainian Language of NAS of Ukraine Svitlana Yermolenko. She said that our language is «sick» about the lack of linguistic consciousness. Ukrainians do not feel their dignity that they should stay with their language in any situation.

Doctor of Education, Professor, Head of the Department of the Ukrainian Language and Literature Learning Institute of Education of NAPS of Ukraine Nina Golub, who comes to the conference in Ostroh Academy each year, argues that problems about the Ukrainian language and speech which scientists are trying to attract attention to remain unsolved, and sometimes it seems that they increase.

«I consider these problems in two aspects — responsibility and motivation. On the one hand, it is how to motivate students on their choices of speech culture. And on the another, how to create responsibility in the community of native speakers. I mean public people who have to speak civilized, codified and hence literary language».

The conference included work in five sections: «Specific language standards for lexical and phonetic levels», «Speech and cultural features of the grammatical system of the Ukrainian language», «Priority directions of school linguodidactics», «Innovation of linguistic education in universities», «Philosophical issues in the Ukrainian literature».

Conference proceedings are published in a collection of articles.