«As if on a foreign island with savages». A famous linguist about the impressions of Odesa.

A Kyiv resident from the capital is shocked by the Russian language and the "distorted jaws" of Odesa residents

During a vacation in Odesa, a Kyiv resident together with her daughter and granddaughter was surprised that most locals speak Russian and have strange pronunciation. She felt as if she were on a "foreign island with savages." This was reported by linguist Larysa Nitsoy.

In the first days of her vacation in Odesa, the Kyiv resident experienced cultural shock. She was surprised that most people around spoke Russian, creating the feeling that she was abroad.

She was especially irritated when locals tried to pronounce her granddaughter Dolyana's name as "Dalyana." This was strange and incomprehensible to her. On the playground, the woman again faced parents talking to children in Russian. This gave her feelings of resentment and alienation, as if she were among "savages."

However, the situation changed when a group of young Ukrainian-speaking guys arrived at the hotel. Their presence made a strong impact, and even those who had previously spoken to children in Russian started speaking Ukrainian.

This experience made the Kyiv resident think about linguistic identity and cultural diversity in Ukraine.