Belarusian language

East Slavic language

Belarusian ([bɛləˈruːsiən]; беларуская мова bełaruskaya mova [bʲełaˈruskaja mova]) is an official language of Belarus, along with Russian, and is spoken abroad, chiefly in Russia, Ukraine, far-eastern Poland and the Vilna Region.

Belarusian-speaking world
Legend: Dark blue - territory, where Belarusian language is used chiefly

Quotes

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  • In the Belarusian language, which is called Ruthenian and Litvinian-Ruthenian <...> spoken by about ten million people; it is the richest and purest speech, it was a long time and well-designed.
    • Adam Mickiewicz, speech at Paris College de France. Міцкевіч А. [Пра Беларусь i беларускую мову] // Філаматы i філарэты: зб. / уклад. К. Цвіркі. Мінск, 1998. (in Belarusian)
  • Because it [Belarusian language] has enough lightness and strength at the same time, it transmits soft and tender feelings in its poetry. It has easy and accurate expressions in live conversation. The Belarusian language does not have many expressions for uttering things for which our nation has no necessity. But the Belarusian language has deep roots and is able to develop words and expressions that were absent in those roots. Every language experienced an era of childhood.
    • Uladzislau Syrakomlia, Сыракомля У. Добрыя весцi: паэзiя, проза, крытыка / уклад. i камент. У. Мархеля, К. Цвiркi; прадм. К. Цвiркi. Мінск, 1993. (in Belarusian)
  • I can speak Belarusian, although my brain works in Russian due to circumstances. There is no practice, because our language has been purposefully destroyed since the mid-1990s.
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