Apparently someone forgot to send them the memo that, even though there is a language called "Belorussian" (or, as they might like to spell it, "Belarusian" ), no one speaks it. "Officially" around 20% of the population knows it, but those people are really Poles living in the part of the country that was actually Poland before 1945 and the language they are speaking is, in actuality, Polish, but just spelled a little differently.
In actuality, the Republic of Belarus speaks Russian. Attempts at political correctness on the part of Western newspapers just seem silly in this respect.
I'm not sure if this is your poor attempt at trolling or genuine lack of knowledge about what's happening in Belarus but you should not blindly repeat propaganda.
The reason why Belarusian is not widely spoken in Belarus is because it is still a totalitarian country. Just being in opposition can land you in jail and, as opposition is being connected with trying to restore Belarusian language and culture, it has been forbidden. It cannot be taught in schools or used officially. Lukashenko once again puts his nation through Russification and I'm not sure why are you so happy about it.
And as for the number of people who still, despite all the persecution use Belarussian - have you ever though that maybe they just want what Ukrainians managed to do - freedom and their own language restored. And no that's not just Polish spelled differently and those people are not just Poles - there isn't as many of them left in Belarus anyway.
As for English spelling - why does this bother you and the fact that it's Lukashenko not Wukaszenko (as the original letter means that English sound) doesn't?
Evolution, just like gravity, works even if you don't believe in it.
Stupidity doesn't hurt but it kills.
Stupidity doesn't hurt but it kills.
The BBC is just silly.
- 22/06/2010 03:08:32 PM
659 Views
Ahem.
- 22/06/2010 03:26:42 PM
467 Views
Are you trying to get them to be able to pronounce it correctly or just use it?
- 22/06/2010 03:56:29 PM
444 Views
On that note
- 22/06/2010 06:17:56 PM
359 Views
And so are you
- 23/06/2010 01:02:07 AM
570 Views
Oh my God - this is one of the stupidest things I've seen posted on this site...ever.
- 23/06/2010 01:47:39 AM
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And still never able to beat you
- 23/06/2010 04:24:46 AM
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You seem to pretend there is a separate "Belorussian" people.
- 23/06/2010 06:02:12 AM
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If there is enough of people claiming they are what right do you have to say otherwise?
- 23/06/2010 06:54:28 AM
590 Views