Thanks in advance :)
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herroberg — 13 years ago(March 12, 2013 02:04 PM)
In Swedish Belarus is named Vitryssland, which means White-Russia, and Belarusians, Vitryssar(White-Russians) and Belarusian is Vitryska, White-Russian.
I think it's the same in Norway, Denmark and Netherlands. Hvit/Hvid/Wit-Russland/Rusland.
This doesn't really add much to the question, I just wanted to add some info on the topic.
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TimeTravel_7 — 12 years ago(September 19, 2013 10:52 AM)
Belyj means white. Belarus is literary Whiterussia.
http://www.imdb.com/list/g41XE9AVM7k/ -
kuruyad — 10 years ago(May 01, 2015 09:34 PM)
Russland = Land of the Rus =/= Rossiya
Rossiya is mistakenly known as Russia in any number of languages, does NOT in fact refer to ethnic Russkiye or "Russians" in name; furthermore, many of Rossiya's citizen are non-Russians, and many many Russians are not from Rossiya or citizens thereof
For further confusion, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, often misnamed Russia in WW2 materials, comprised BOTH Belarus and Rossiya (among many other nations), which BOTH had significant populations of BOTH ethnic Russians and other ethnicities the only common Russian thread in the Union was that it used the Russian language as the pre-existing regional common tongue (national majorities within their respective republics had their own state languages, but used Russian for inter-republic affairs, military service, business with the capital, etc.)
Stalin, for example, was Georgian, as was Beria; Kruschev was Ukrainian, Dzerzhinsky was Polish, Mikoyan was Armenian etc etc etc.
Btw Moskva/Moscow was the Union capital, but NOT the capital of the 'Russian Empire' a convenient central hub chosen as the Union Government seat for a well-represented multiethnic confederacy, not a pillar of colonial dominion by its mostly Russian residents. who, as the residents of the most populous republic, had the disproportionally LOWEST degree of per capita representation in it. -
belarus2578 — 12 years ago(January 30, 2014 11:58 AM)
Actually it is not correct and quite offensive stereotype of western nations about Belarusians, but it exists. As it was reported to You by other users, the key is etymology. Belarusians were called Belarusians by Russian empress Katherine II after the occupation of Belarus by Russian Empire in 1795. The purpose of giving such name was to assimilate Belarusians into Russians. The same history was with Ukraine. It was called Malarussia (Small Russia).
But, fortunately, empire plans of Russia were ruined in 1991. Both Ukraine and Belarus restored their independence. But the name of the country was transformed from Belarussia (White Russia) into Belarus (has no literal translation, but sounds similar to White Ruthenia) in 19th century. Before the Russian Occupation we called ourselves Litviny (you translate this word in English as Ruthenians). Now we use the name Belarus because of historical conflict with Lithuanians (they also consider themselves as descendants of Ruthenians). It is quite difficult and long story, but I hope that You have catched the key idea.
With the best wishes, (Ihar Ciareanka), Belarusian medical student.
P.S. You should never call a Belarusian as a Russian. It would be as offensive, as calling an Irish man as an English one. -
belarus2578 — 12 years ago(March 09, 2014 02:58 PM)
Russian is the second official language in Belarus, so, please, don't teach me Russian)))
Litviny are not lithuanians. Lithuanians were known as zhemajty ( in Belarusian) or zhmudziny ( in Belarusian). But nowadays there is a propaganda in Lithuania, which is trying to say that lithuanians were litviny. Ruthenians is mostly used for the south of Belarus only and for the Ukraine.
P.S. If you are lithuanian, I beg your pardon. Because our historians have different points of view. -
valkas02 — 11 years ago(May 10, 2014 01:51 PM)
Just to give some perspective: belarus2578 explains ideas, held by so-called Litvinism - movement of historical revisionism, which postulates that Grand Duchity of Lithuania (one of largest medieval European states that partialy covered teritorries of present-day Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, Poland, etc.) was inherently not Baltic, but Slavic. It claims that ancestors of present-dy Belarussians were the original Lithuanians (Litvins in slavic), while present-day Lithuanians are descendants of Samogotians - western Baltic tribe, which, according to Litvinists, "stole" their history and presented themselves as Lithuanians in recent centuries. Largely based on circumstantial evidence, Litvinism dismisses most of period documentation as forged and holds victimization of Belarussians as its major leitmotif.
While more akin to conspiracy theory than historical movement and not supported by academic historians, Litvinism nevertheless plays important part in development of Belarussian national identity, which, I think, should be regarded as somewhat positive thing. -
slay-er — 11 years ago(April 15, 2014 06:58 AM)
Both Ukraine and Belarus restored their independence.
Restored? There was never such country as Belarus. Belarus was created by commutists.
P.S. You should never call a Belarusian as a Russian. It would be as offensive, as calling an Irish man as an English one.
Most people in Belarus are ethnic Russians and even more that are culturally Russians i.e. speak Russian at home. So it would depend on a person if he found it offensive or not. -
fgeorgio — 11 years ago(April 26, 2014 11:05 AM)
That is a rather naive thing to say.80% of the inhabitants of Belarus are of Belarussian nationality.Yes,in the centre and east of the country Russian is predominantly used.Language however doesnt mean nationality.Most educated Tunisians and Algerians speak French at home and at work,not Arabic.Nearly all the Irish speak English everyday,not Gaelic.The same goes for the Scots.
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DurakSuka — 11 years ago(December 28, 2014 12:10 PM)
Yes, but what percentage of the country do these "educated" Algerians and Tunisians constitute? Not more than an immeasurably small minority, I assure you. In Belarus, however, most people cannot even speak Belarusian. Most speak Russian and/or Trasianka.
Hama cheez ba-Beer behtar meshawad! -
DurakSuka — 11 years ago(December 28, 2014 12:07 PM)
There's a big difference though since Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians come from the same stock whereas Irishmen and Englishmen are culturally, linguistically, and racially different.
And you need to get your head out of your arse when it comes to history. USSSR does not equate to Russia. Russia suffered most under Soviet rule.
Hama cheez ba-Beer behtar meshawad! -
kuruyad — 10 years ago(May 01, 2015 09:19 PM)
that is the meaning of Belarus in both Russian (the main language of both countries) and Belarusian
to be more precise, it's the name "Russia" that is falsely represented in English. it is rOssiya, with NO direct and selfevident link between the country name and the Russian language/ethnicity/people
ethnicities mentioned by others ARE interlinked by the root "Rus" (including less obvious ones, like the intentionally misspelled 'Ruthenia', actually more like Rusenia/Rusynia), as are their native languages and the country name Belarus but NOT Rossiya ("Russia" / false cognate translation)
the local self-naming like White Rus for Belarus, Rus for Russian Central Rossiya / Greater Rus (as in Larger Rus) for Rossiya, actually traces history to Kyiv/Kiev, not Moskva/Moscow