Time and Space in Between: Time Zones, Languages, and Cultures in Transcarpathia (Ukraine)

Abstract

In this paper, based on the data of a sociological research and the analysis of the linguistic landscapes of six Transcarpathian cities, we have illustrated that in Transcarpathia a significant part of the population – regardless of ethnicity – live their lives not according to the official “Kyiv time” (EET; UTC+2) but according to the “local time” (CET; UTC+1). Even the names of the two times are distinguished in the local language use in Ukrainian, Hungarian, and Russian languages alike. The difference between official central time and “local time” appeared in Transcarpathia when the region became annexed to the Soviet Union. Yet, before the Second World War, each state in the region used CET. The Soviet power introduced Moscow time zone (MSK; UTC+3) of two hours ahead. The distinction between “local time” and central time was maintained when Transcarpathia became part of the newly independent Ukraine. The population in the region was urged to use a different time zone for a relatively short time from a historical point of view. The persistence of “local time” is also strengthened by the fact that it contributes to the image of Transcarpathia as a particular, specific region of Ukraine.

Keywords

• transcarpathia
• local time
• official time
• regional identity