Language Stability as the Identification of the Language Attitude (on the Survey Data)

Abstract

This article deals with the problem of language attitude investigation. For this purpose, we tried to analyze the relation between language stability and language attitude how these phenomena interreact and how the knowledge of language stability can reflect the language attitudes. The scientific researches prove that the knowledge of the language attitude allows to evaluate not only loyal attitude (favor) to the language but also its functional value. In such conditions, language attitude shows the symbol role of language as a value of national identity, symbol of authentication, bridge to the past history of the nation, as well as, the means of the goal achievement and self-development. Considering the investigations of scientists from west countries, we understand language attitude as both positive or negative evaluation to any object and as an accumulated knowledge which in general helps to estimate the language stability, which is one of the characteristics of the language behavior and is reflected during the language activity processes. The motives of usage one language instead of the other in the bilingual’s situation is one of the subjects of the language attitude investigation in Ukrainian sociolinguistics. We conducted the survey which helped to describe the Ukrainian youth’s language attitude now and build the perspective of the language situation development in the future. For Ukrainian-speaking young people, language is the highest national value, a guide for identification, which demonstrates the promotion of the integrative language attitude. In this case language is a value, and not just to express their own thoughts, but a tool for professional and social growth. According to opinions of the Ukrainian-speaking youth it is essential to keep the prestige of the language and the assertion of its state status. Whilst Russian-speaking youth use the language as a tool that helps to communicate, which shows the benefits of instrumental language attitude, where language is a means to achieve communicative goals and professional growth. The results of our investigation show that language attitude among Ukrainian youth, who participated in the survey has instrumental and integrative meaning, which confirms that the language is not only the means of language activities but also a value, a tool for self-expression and identification. Our study is an attempt to outline the trends prevailing among young people in Ukraine and to explore how the language stability of the speaker can reveal their language attitude and how the latter affects the language behavior of the participant in the communicative process. The prospect of further research is the analysis of the language situation in Ukraine and a comprehensive study of the language attitude in the Ukrainian youth environment.