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HELEN MURAL, Junior Vice-President UNWLA, Ccntributing Editor, OUR LIFE Why Learn IJkrainian? Too often we Ameriean-Uk- rainians are guilty of taking the easy way out when the sub ject of learning to speak, read and write in Ukrainian comes up. We pass the subject along by saying — “After all, .we are in America and why should we take the time which we don’t have to learn the language of our parents?” Thoug’h I have written and often spoke in de fense of youth (and myself) on laxity in not learning to speak fluently, I have always maintain ed that the ideal situation would be to possess the knowledge of our language. We -can be good Ukrainians without knowing all of the why’s and wherefore’s and correct grmmar, but we can be BETTER Ukrainians if we •do. Just why should we trouble to learn to express ourselves both orally and in; writing in Ukrainian? There are many rea sons but let’s just investigate a few. The first thought that comes to mind are the binding ties that knowledge of a lan guage can produce. A closer feeling,is instilled; a bond that ties and unites is felt with the pride that comes with familiar ity of a language foreign to the land of birth. Take for example my limited acquaintance with «German. I studied German in high school for three years. Al though I -cannot converse rapid ly and eloquently in German, warmth; rushes through me when a few words are spoken which I can understand in a movie or on the street. I feel a warmth for the German lan guage because I was fortunate enough to have had the oppor tunity to learn & little of it. Вис when I once overheard a young American couple speak Ukrain ian on a train, I felt much more than warmth. I literally bubbled over with excitement as I ap proached them and proudly 4ad mitted that I was Ukrainian too. Along with the: “kinship” which language invokes, and particularly the language of our heritage, comes the opening of many other avenues. To-know our language opens the road to all Slavic tongues. Similar with Ukrainian, are the Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Slovak, Po lish and Russian languages. Fur ther, the appreciation of the lit erature, folklore, and even the music of the Ukraine is much more penetrating when we tru ly are masters of our language. Much is jost in translations. I can remember how I chuckled as I read the English translation of “Marussya.” In Ukrainian it must be very romantic and sen timental to call & girl ‘my dove, my fis'h” but in English it sounds' just a bit peculiar! It is a well known fact that the Ukrainian language is very expressive. There are numerous words from which to select toJ give the exact connotation de sired. I have often heard, too, that the number of words in the vocabulary of an ordinary Ukrainian is far greater than the number of words in the vo cabulary of an- ordinary indivi- | dual of other nationalities simp ly because our language is so exacting in meaning. Even with my own, uiipdlis'bQ'd Ukrainian, I 'have found myself resorting to a Ukrainian word in order to express myself lucidly! In a rash moment during the World Congress of Ukrainian Women which was held last year in Philadelphia, I promised that by the time the next Soy- : uz' Ukrainok Convention con vened I would address the group in Ukrainian. Since that time I have learned a great deal, even though I have not re sorted;, as yet to “formal” schooling. Much can be learned simply by taking advantage of the willingness and patience of the countless Displaced Persons who have come to the United States. (Though the loss may be theirs as far as their learn ing the English language is con cerned). Many fine text books have been written to guide, such as the very fine “A Mod ern, Ukrainian Grammar,” writ ten by George Luokyj and Jaro- slav B. Rudnyckyj and printed by The University of Minneso ta Press, Mihneapolis. It is to be regretted, ’however, that there are not more schools in the cities to teach, but if we young* American Ukrainians would make our demands known I doubt that the older genera tion would refuse to answer our request. The reason for pointing out my short-comings and my de termination to learn what I should have learned well as a youngster (I used to eat apples during Ukrainian school classes instead of listening with rapt attention to the teacher), is to stress the change that conies about in thinking when one re alizes the importance of learn ing to speak well in the lang uage of our heritage. It is my belief that it is not too late to make amends for the ignorance of youth. | UKRAINIAN CONGRESS Soyuz Ukrainok has earned the reputation of close coopera tion withe Congress Committee. On November 5 and 6 in Washr ington, D. C. will be held the Fourth Congress of Americans of Ukrainian Descent. It is hoped that all Jr. League Bran ches as well as other branches of Soyuz Ukrainok will send delegates to this Congress. From present indications it ap pears that young American Uk rainians will support this gath ering with their usual display of eagerness for active participa tion. Subscribe to OUR LIFE ПЕРША АМБАСАЯОРКА ЗЛУЧЕНИХ ДЕРЖАВ Пані Євгенія Андерссн, з Ред Винг, Миннесота, член Д ем о кр атич но го Наці о на льн о - го Комітету, яку президент Труман призначив амба садо- ром в Данії. Це перша жінка на становищі амбасадора Злу чених Держав. Enthusiastic audiences in Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago thus far have proclaimed that the advance publicity oil the Ukainian Bandura Chorus was not exaggerated. Ukrainians in these cjties have thrilled to the sight of some 28 men in colorful Cossack costumes and to the sound of the banduras accom panying the outstandingly beau tiful voices' of the Chorus. Of surprising interest was the fact that the leader of the Chorus, Hryhor Ry tasty does no visible directing of the group. Most important, however, the Chorus was' very favorably received by music critics in the ^fore-men tioned cities. We Ukrainians can point to this g r o u p with pride! Junior League SUA of Aikron Ohio, gathered at a dinner Junior League SUA, Akron, 0., (1.-to r.). Jennie Pulk, pres.; Virginia Pulk, v. pres.; Eva Zepko, seer.; Theresa Taras, treas.
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