RUSYN: a language of Ukraine

The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).
It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005). See also the corresponding entry in the current edition of Ethnologue.

SIL code: RUE

ISO 639-2: sla

Population	Population total both countries 50,000 or more.
Region	Transcarpathian Oblast of Ukraine. Also possibly in Romania. Also spoken in Slovakia.
Alternate names	RUTHENIAN, CARPATHIAN, CARPATHO-RUSYN
Classification	Indo-European, Slavic, East.
Comments	Rusyn is called a dialect of Ukrainian, but speakers are reported to consider themselves distinct from Ukrainians. Standard Ukrainian used for literature, signs. Investigation needed: bilingual proficiency in Ukrainian. Radio programs, TV. Christian.

Also spoken in:

Slovakia

Language name	RUSYN
Population	50,000 in Slovakia (1991 census).
Alternate names	RUTHENIAN, CARPATHIAN, CARPATHO-RUSYN
Dialects	LEMKO.
Comments	Rusyn is sometimes called a dialect of Ukrainian, but speakers are reported to consider themselves distinct from Ukrainians. Nearly two-thirds have assimilated culturally and linguistically with the Slovaks. Some ethnic Rusyns in Yugoslavia are reported to speak Eastern Slovak, Sarish dialect, not Rusyn. In 1995 it was declared a normative, codified language in Slovakia, can formally be taught in schools, used for publications, school textbooks. Investigation needed: intelligibility with Ukrainian, bilingual proficiency in Slovak. Dictionary. Radio programs, TV. Christian. See main entry under Ukraine.