Belarusian 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

• 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 listen to Belarusian language as music when I walk the streets of Minsk.
  • Yasep Liosik, З жыцьця Язэпа Лёсіка, represii-by.info (in Belarusian)

• People who speak Belarusian cannot do anything except talk about it, because it is impossible to express anything great in Belarusian. The Belarusian language is a poor language. There are only two great languages in the world, Russian and English.
  • Aliaksandr Lukashenka, Топ-10 самых скандальных и оскорбительных высказываний Лукашенко // Civil campaign European Belarus, europeanbelarus.org (in Russian)

• The pro-imperial dictatorship of Lukashenka promotes the policy of unification with Russia, destroying the national culture and the Belarusian language.
  • Vasil Bykau, “ЁН ПРЫЕХАЎ, САМ ПАМЁР, УСЁ СПАКОЙНА…” АПОШНІЯ ТЫДНІ ВАСІЛЯ БЫКАВА // svaboda.org
    (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.
  • Nadzeya Astapchuk, Belarusian shot putter, bronze medalist of the 2008 Olympic Games, world and European champion in the TUT.BY comment, June 2020.

• This language <Belarusian> is only ours. No other country has this language. And this is how our language was committed by our government, this is a crime. I believe this crime will still need to be investigated.
  • Siarhei Tsikhanouski, political activist and contender for the Belarusian presidency, Homiel. Picket to collect signatures of presidential candidate Tsikhanouskaya. P. 1. 29:26 // Live broadcast on YouTube, May 2020.