Some Factors in the Linguistic and Ethnic Russification of Soviet Nationalities: Is Everyone Becoming Russian?

Abstract

Language and ethnic affiliation are the most important determinants of the non-Russian peoples' identity in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. This chapter examines the linguistic and ethnic assimilation of the non-Russian nationalities in the Soviet Union in the light, focusing on a few elements of the process that are important but not well understood. For most non-Russians, any discussion of linguistic change must focus on the shift between the traditional language of the group and Russian. Probably the most important regime policy with respect to the use of non-Russian languages is the provision of native-language schooling. There are two sources of systematic information about native-language schooling: curricula, and information on school textbook publication. The Soviet Union has provided at least some native-language schooling to the vast majority of nationalities. The dominant theme in Soviet doctrine concerning the non-Russian languages is the equality principle—that each nationality is free to use its mother tongue.

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