Belarusian language
Belarusian is an East Slavic language spoken chiefly in Belarus. It is written mainly in Cyrillic, with a Latin-script tradition known as Łacinka.
East Slavic languages: A branch of the Slavic languages comprising Belarusian, Russian, and Ukrainian, among others. Belarusian belongs to this branch alongside Russian and Ukrainian.
Old East Slavic: The medieval language from which the modern East Slavic languages developed. Belarusian developed through the historical East Slavic continuum.
Belarusian language policy: Government rules and practices that shape Belarusian’s use in education, administration, media, and public life. Policy has strongly affected the language’s institutional presence in Belarus.
Russian language: An East Slavic language spoken primarily in Russia and widely used across Eurasia. Russian is Belarusian’s closest major competitor in many public domains of Belarus.
Belarusian national identity: A sense of collective belonging associated with Belarusian history, culture, and political community. Using Belarusian can express cultural affiliation as well as ordinary communication.
Belarusian Cyrillic alphabet: The Cyrillic alphabet used to write Belarusian, including letters that represent sounds distinctive to the language. It is the language’s principal writing system.
Ruthenian language: The East Slavic written language used in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and neighboring lands during the late medieval and early modern periods. It is a historical predecessor in the development of Belarusian literary tradition.
Belarusian-language education: The teaching and study of Belarusian as a subject or medium of instruction. Schools influence how the language is learned and transmitted.
Ukrainian language: An East Slavic language spoken chiefly in Ukraine and written in Cyrillic. Its related vocabulary and grammar highlight both Belarusian’s kinship and distinct features.
Belarusian nationalism: Movements and ideas advocating Belarusian national distinctiveness, self-determination, or statehood. Language has been a recurring marker and instrument of national political movements.