Ukrainian at U of T
Why Study Ukrainian?
- Ukrainian is a Slavic language, and is part of the larger Indo-European family of languages.
- Ukrainian is the state language of Ukraine, one of the largest countries in Europe. Ukraine is a modern, industrial country, the social, economic, and political structures of which still show some of the scars of Soviet misrule. But, as the Orange Revolution of 2004 showed, it is a country whose citizens look forward to a peaceful transition to democracy, prosperity, and European integration.
- Ukrainian is a language with a great literary tradition. Modern Ukrainian literature includes great Romantic poets, particularly Taras Shevchenko, and extends through the highlights of Soviet Ukrainian modernism in the 1920s to the vibrant energy of contemporary writers such as Yuri Andrukhovych and Oksana Zabuzhko.
- Ukrainian has a special place in Canada, where many immigrants throughout the 20th century can trace their physical and cultural roots to Ukrainian soil.
- Ukrainian opens the door for the study of the history and politics of this fascinating country at the crossroads of many important developments in European history.
- Ukrainian uses the Cyrillic alphabet. Students learning the Cyrillic alphabet will find it easy to learn the writing systems of many other Slavic languages.
Programs
Study Elsewhere Opportunities
- Programs for the study of Ukrainian in Ukraine are conducted by a number of Universities in Canada, including Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. These summer programs yield excellent results and transferable credits. Advanced Ukrainian language courses are also available in the summer program of Harvard University.
FAQs
- Is it hard to learn Ukrainian?
No! Most students learn the alphabet within the first two weeks of study. While the language has few similarities to English, most students can achieve rudimentary reading skills within two years. Further study in Ukraine itself can lead to complete mastery of speaking and writing skills.
