The Decline of Russian in the Bilingual Repertoire of Ukrainians: Transformations in Language Use and Emotional Responses Amid War
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57589/srl.v74i1.4296Keywords:
ideologically accelerated language shift, bilingualism, language ideology, moral agency, linguistic insecurity, language shame, Ukrainian language, forced migration, emotional bilingualismAbstract
The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 triggered a rapid rejection of Russian among Ukrainian bilinguals. This article introduces the concept of ideologically accelerated language shift, understood as a moralized and emotionally driven transformation of bilingual repertoires. Based on a mixed-methods survey of 1,298 Ukrainians living in Poland, the study demonstrates how ideology, emotion, and moral agency interact to reshape language practices. The findings show widespread reduction or abandonment of Russian, mediated by language shame and social pressure, and a reconfiguration of bilingualism in exile, with Polish increasingly replacing Russian as a neutral alternative. The study contributes to conflict sociolinguistics by highlighting language as a moral and emotional resource in wartime.
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