Belarusian language

In the old days, on the territory of present-day Belarus, the Proto-Slavic folk dialect language was first used, which in the 6th century was transformed into Old Russian, and in the 9th century - into Old Slavic. Historians agree that the formation of the Belarusian language as an independent value has been going on since about the 14th century.

At present, the national speech of the Belarusians is based on the Old Slavic dialect, Polish and Russian words. Sometimes borrowings from German and Latin come across. In the hinterland of the country, villagers use "trasyanka" - a rough mixture of Russian and Belarusian. Only people over 80 years old use pure Belarusian folk dialect language.

According to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, the state languages ​​are Belarusian and Russian. However, the extent to which languages ​​are spoken in a country varies greatly.
More than 70% of the population speaks Belarusian, but less than 25% use it at home (the result of surveys in 2013). Literature in Russian is preferred by about 93% of respondents, and in Belarusian - by 5% (2014 survey).
According to the results of the 2019 census, 61.2% of Belarusians indicated Belarusian as their native language. However, most people speak Russian at home.

If measures are not taken to popularize and actively support the Belarusian language, it may disappear.
According to the UNESCO classification, this language has been assigned the “vulnerable” status.

To maintain the Belarusian language, on the territory of the country, one can observe plaques with the names of streets and buildings, announcement of stops in public transport, radio and television, as well as duplication of some cinematic films into Belarusian.

At the moment, one can observe the popularization of the Belarusian language. More and more people began to use it in their speech.
More and more modern authors and musicians appear in Belarus, writing their works in their native Belarusian language.
Among them are music performers who presented the song in the Belarusian language even on the international stage.

Naviband - Story Of My Life
Eurovision Song Contest 2017

Belarus was also famous for its poets.
Now I will tell you a poem by one of the Belarusian poets Yanka Kupala.
The poem was first published in 1908 and has been translated into 100 languages of the world, one of which is English.

And, Say, Who Goes There?
And, say, who goes there? And, say, who goes there?
In such a mighty throng assembled, O declare?
Byelorussians!
And what do those lean shoulders bear as load,
Those hands stained dark with blood, those feet bast-sandal shod?
All their grievance!
And to what place do they this grievance bear,
And whither do they take it to declare?
To the whole world!
And who schooled them thus, many million strong,
Bear their grievance forth, roused them from slumbers long?
Want and suffering!
And what is it, then, for which so long they pined,
Scorned through out the years, they, the deaf, the blind?
To be called human!