YAROSLAV BOHDAN RUDNYTSKY’S LINGUISTIC RESEARCH IN CANADA AS A PHENOMENON OF AN ERA OF IDEOLOGICAL CONFRONTATION

Abstract

Yaroslav Rudnytsky’s works of the Canadian period (1949–1995) of ideological confrontation between the Soviet and Western systems are analyzed. The purpose of the article is to consider Yaroslav Rudnytsky’s academic achievements and to characterize the influence of hіs ideas on some directions of modern Ukrainian linguistics. A linguist’s contribution to the development of Ukrainian science in Canada is valued. The views of the linguist on the role of Slavic diaspora in the period of totalitarian pressure on Ukrainian studies in the USSR are highlighted. The efforts of the scholar to preserve literary language standards, orthographic in particular, based on Kharkiv edition of “Ukrainian Spelling” in the environment of emigrants as well as in mainland Ukraine are shown. The facts of Ya roslav Rudnitsky's personal participation in scientific discussions and social and political actions on the need to return the letter “ґ” to the Ukrainian alphabet, restore some distinctive forms and transliteration of foreign language borrowings are presented. Yaroslav Rudnytsky’s contribution to the development of Ukrainian scientific terminology formed on the basis of specific words according to Ukrainian derivative models is highlighted. Special attention is paid to sociolinguistic part of the linguistic studies of the author. The problems and perspectives of Ukrainian language functioning in mainland Ukraine and in Diaspora in the linguist’s interpretation are elucidated. The concept of “linguicide” is analyzed. The “linguicide” factors are highlighted, the importance of using the opportunities of the democratic West in the process of defending the right of the Ukrainian language to independent development and protection by the state is noted. The author’s views are compared with contemporary scholar’s investigations. While describing language processes, we reproduce the historical background and socio-cultural approaches, trace positive trends in modern Ukrainian sociolinguistics, scientific terminology and orthography.