The Ruthenian Language in Serbia from the Perspective of Endangerment

Abstract

The paper explores the endangerment of the Ruthenian language in Serbia through a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative analyses of data obtained from a sociolinguistic questionnaire (VLingS Questionnaire 1.0; Mirić et al. 2025) completed by 78 members of the Ruthenian community. The field research was conducted in 2023 as part of the project “Vulnerable Languages and Linguistic Varieties in Serbia” (VLingS), funded by the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia within the program IDEAS (2022–2024). The study presents findings from the quantitative analysis of responses related to the educational background of speakers (V_2, V_5), their emotional and attitudinal relationship to the Ruthenian language (XII_4, XII_5), and perspectives on language maintenance and revitalization (XIV_4, XIV_6, XIV_7). It further examines patterns of language use across different social domains (III_1_1–III_1_6) and the intergenerational transmission of the language (II_5, II_6, II_7). Notable discrepancies emerged between the respondents’ declared attitudes and reported language practices, as well as between their stated values and actual engagement in preservation efforts. To address these inconsistencies, the paper includes a qualitative analysis of open-ended responses concerning language maintenance (XIV_5 and XIV_9), offering interpretative insights into the underlying sociolinguistic dynamics. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex factors affecting the sustainability of minority languages in multilingual settings.