What language is this? Kashubian or Silesian?

found this writing on back of my family photos, I got told by my Polish grandmother that they weren't Polish. Anyone recognise any words? Sorry for smudges, this photo is 60 years old.

Pic:

Russian.

Really? Why is that?

We don't use Cyrillic alphabet in Poland, what I thought is actually commonly known fact.

Also, it is not Ukrainian nor Belarusian language - it is Russian version of Cyrillic alphabet. It doesn't mean that a person who wrote this is/was Russian.

But they're Eastern Slavic?

I will say this way. Anyone who wrote this speaks Russian language.

Geez man, who or what are eastern Slavic, are western Germanic? WTF?
Maybe somebody could have communicate in Russian or had been Russian himself - how the hell could we know?

Wait? are you not that Armenian?

But would you say that the person who wrote this comes from a Russian speaking area/region in Belarus/Ukraine?

Belarusians, Ukrainians and Russians are Eastern Slavic.


From the Soviet Union, which existed 60 years ago when this photo was - as you say - taken.

I don't know. On what ground? him/her being able to write Russian? Maybe, but that is not given. Surly you have more info than that.


Never heard about it. The only thing that rings a bell is a eastern Slavic language group that the Rus tribes belonged to about 1000 years ago.

Judging by the name of photo taker I would guess she is either Belarusian or Ukrainian. Less likely Russian.

There is always a possibility she's Polish but was writing to Russian-speaking person, as his name Ivan suggests.

What's her name?

Maria Bernatowicz. It was written to Ivan, who is her brother.

So it was written to Ivan Bernatowicz

Yes. Unless Maria was married while writing it and got her husband's surname.

But if you know about a person Ivan Bernatovich who had/have sister Maria, then most likely yes.

Maria is my grandfather's sister so I assume Ivan is his brother. Interesting. Also, why Belarusians?

I have removed that part from my post above.

Maria have called herself "Marisya". In Russian language it should be Marusya. On the other hand, Belarusians might use form Marisya, I am not sure here. But so can Ukrainians.

Do you have any information on place where they lived?

They lived in Minsk/Grodno

Belarusians then.

Or Polish, Who knows?

Ivan is not a Polish name.

*Edit: I asked and Maryśia is my grandfather's cousin and Ivan is her brother.

And isn't their surname 'Bernatovich' Belarusian?

It is present not only in Belarus, but in that case people you talk about are most likely Belarusian.

Where is it present then?

forebears.co.uk/surnames/bernatowicz
forebears.co.uk/surnames/bernatovich
forebears.co.uk/surnames/bernatovych

So if my surname is Bernatowicz but my grandfather and his family spelt it Bernatovich, does it make it a polonised Belarusian surname?

No......

What is it then?

If someone has a surname Smith does it mean he is British, Australian, or maybe from New Zealand? Or American?

Yes but the way it's spelt is Belarusian as Polish is Bernatowicz and Ukrainian is Bernatovych. Besides, if the family is Belarusian, doesn't that make the last name Belarusian.