Sidewinder
15 Sep 2007
Language / Polish/Ukrainian words similarities [209]
Yes, it is Ukrainian way of pronouncing "g", though we have both "g" like Russian in our language and Ukrainian "g" which sounds like "h".
So, what you have heard in Kharkow is neither correct Russian, nor correct Ukrainian.
The thing is that people who move from villages to big towns, they speak Ukrainian, so when they try to speak Russian, it sounds like what you've heard.
As for me, I used to speak normal Russian (without those "g", etc., btw, when I visit Russia, people there wonder I speak Russian without accent :)), but I know Ukrainian very well and speak correct Ukrainian, but use it mostly for work. Though when I visit Western Ukraine I love to speak Ukrainian and to hear good "native" Ukrainian language. BTW, Ukrainian language in Lvov sounds a bit like Polish sometimes, not only similar words, but accent too. Like they say "prosze", etc.
Michal, there are sooo many really nice places here in Ukraine. In Western Ukraine - Lutsk, Lvov, small, but really great city - Kamenets-Podol'skiy... In Central region - Poltava, Northern - Chernigov, Eastern - Slavyanogorsk... Southern - Odessa, also Crimean peninsula... Oops, sorry for offtopic again. Anyway, if you will have possibility to visit one of these cities, you won't regret :)
Yes, it is Ukrainian way of pronouncing "g", though we have both "g" like Russian in our language and Ukrainian "g" which sounds like "h".
So, what you have heard in Kharkow is neither correct Russian, nor correct Ukrainian.
The thing is that people who move from villages to big towns, they speak Ukrainian, so when they try to speak Russian, it sounds like what you've heard.
As for me, I used to speak normal Russian (without those "g", etc., btw, when I visit Russia, people there wonder I speak Russian without accent :)), but I know Ukrainian very well and speak correct Ukrainian, but use it mostly for work. Though when I visit Western Ukraine I love to speak Ukrainian and to hear good "native" Ukrainian language. BTW, Ukrainian language in Lvov sounds a bit like Polish sometimes, not only similar words, but accent too. Like they say "prosze", etc.
Michal, there are sooo many really nice places here in Ukraine. In Western Ukraine - Lutsk, Lvov, small, but really great city - Kamenets-Podol'skiy... In Central region - Poltava, Northern - Chernigov, Eastern - Slavyanogorsk... Southern - Odessa, also Crimean peninsula... Oops, sorry for offtopic again. Anyway, if you will have possibility to visit one of these cities, you won't regret :)