Growing up in a Ukrainian Bilingual Community: Families’ Daily Practices and Educational Environment

Abstract

The article analyses the language situation in Ukraine before the beginning of Russian military aggression in February 2022. The data reflect the language practices of Kyiv families with preschool age children. The sociolinguistic study shows the use of different languages, primarily Ukrainian and Russian, in families raising children of this age group. The author traced the correlation between parents' language behaviour and children's language practices. This article examines bilingualism in the context of the daily language practices of children and families. The author pays attention to the sociolinguistic aspects of the Ukrainian language used in the formal and non-formal communication of Kyiv's preschool children.

Keywords

• bilingualism
• family language policy
• bilingual parenting
• language practices
• mother tongue
• first language