This preliminary conclusion can be drawn on the basis of a large study which is conducted by Irina Reshetnikova, doctoral student, University of Tartu (Estonia). She gathered the experience of more than 450 Udmurt language families from different regions of Russia, as well as from European countries. In the interview for the Media Center FINUGOR I. Reshetnikova told about facts and trends identified in the course of the fieldwork.

Irina, please, tell the readers of the Media Center FINUGOR, what are the main findings of your research?

— I am not going to draw general conclusions so far. I draw conclusions on the basis of the surveyed families. I interviewed in Udmurtia, Bashkortostan, Kirov region - and a number of people abroad. I think that the study should be continued because some indicators still vary. It depends on the number of the surveyed families. If we take the situation in Udmurtia as a more or less stable, the question is what will change if, for example, I’ll go to Tatarstan – the Udmurts also live there. How will this general indicator change? For example, the findings of the poll in the Kirov region greatly alter the picture of the study. If we consider separately the Kirov region, then there are the other indicators and other reasons for the Udmurt language rejection. I want to say that the difference depends on the place of residence. It turns out, that possession of the Udmurt language depends on the place of residence!

And it turns out that the preliminary results of my research disprove the points of view, which are adopted by some Russian and foreign scientists, implying that the situation with preserving the language largely depends on the parents’ education or the state policy. In our study, we conclude that the choice of the language in the family depends on the place of residence and the principles of the family itself. It turns out that the policy is on the second place. If, let say, the family is multinational, but lives in Udmurtia, the child is more likely to learn the language.

— You state an idea that often people are embarrassed that they are native speakers of the Udmurt language, and because of this embarrassment, parents do not use the Udmurt language at home. Do studies really show it?

— Yes, my research shows that there is a very large group of people or rather, families, where one of the parents speaks the language, but the language skills are not transmitted to the children. Especially bitter, when both parents speak the language ... When this family lives in the territory of Udmurtia - where there are opportunities to use the language, but, unfortunately, parents do not see prospects and fear that the child may have problems. There is such a group, indeed.

— And is it the same in rural and urban areas?

— In my research, most of the families are still those which transmit the language. That is, there is a tendency that the children will know the Udmurt language, but these families either live in the countryside, or - in Bashkiria, there is a very strong diaspora, where children speak the language. Yes, apparently in the countryside the language is transmitted at home to a greater extent.

— It turns out the language is more likely to be preserved, where the people live densely?

— Yes. This is the countryside. That group, where parents know the language and children do not know - almost half of them live in cities or outside Udmurtia, dispersed. Within the diaspora, the language is better transmitted thanks to the Udmurts dense residence.

— Now in Udmurtia among the Udmurt young there is a high creative activity, for example, there have been invented the Udmurt taxi, the Udmurt tram ... Does it affect the situation with the popularity of the Udmurt language?

— Based on the research, I can’t specifically answer your question. I can answer as Irina Reshetnikova - as I observed this situation, not as a scientist ... Yeah, you are right, there is such a tendency, and I am very pleased that there are such activists, there are people who like to do it, and they have friends who are non-Udmurts, but they are also involved in this process of the Udmurt language popularization. Yes, I saw it, this trend exists. Even the word “fashionable” here is appropriate in relation to the Udmurt language.

— Can you say that in recent years the attitude towards the Udmurt language has changed?

— Native speakers of other languages ​​who live in Udmurtia indeed have changed their attitude to the Udmurt language and the Udmurts from negative to neutral or even positive. I think a very important role in this is played by the Ministry of National Policy of Udmurtia, because on their own initiative there are held a lot of events and done a lot of projects. Of course, in the republic there are many active young people who can and wants to do it, they have enough energy to do it. Although it is not always paid accordingly...

What comes from my research ... I personally asked each respondent questions about the reasons, and reasons are, that if children are talked with in the Udmurt language at home, they have a positive attitude - even in multinational families the second half greatly approves that the other parent speaks the Udmurt language, and see this as a cultural wealth, see positive moments in this, that the child will be richer by the whole language. As they say, it’s like, if you buy a doll and keep it in the cupboard and do not to give it to the child. Here it is, this doll, but you can’t play with it. It is the same with the language: I have it, but I will not give it to you. But here the situation is positive: the language is given to children and it is approved.

— Is it possible to develop practical recommendations in advance, based on the survey, in order for the situation to change for the better?

— I think it is possible, because, despite the fact that the investigation is not finished, there are identified some specific groups to work with. Usually, the first thing to know for these groups is information that they should not be afraid of the language. Some examples, booklets, in the end, about the advantages of bilingual children. There are studies - psychological, medical - that their brain is more developed ... It’s all there. It is not invented, it is only necessary to bring this information to the people.

Second. What was called, for example, in the Kirov region – lack of television. If this is a problem for people, then perhaps it can be solved. They do not have the Udmurt television. And if they had the possibility to watch it - it would be very helpful.

In what areas there shall be done some work? It’s either language courses or trams you mentioned - what people need more, what areas need attention. And what group of people there exist ... Where are these groups - scattered or in one place? All this must be taken into account.

If in a rural area, where all people communicate absolutely in the Udmurt language in schools teachers themselves start talking with children in Russian to make the children’s future easier - information about the benefits of the knowledge of the native language is required.

— In order to increase the motivation of the native speakers themselves?

Yes. Because those who want to travel to the city, believe that they need to know Russian language, and they somehow reject the Udmurt language. Many people do not realize that you can be simultaneously fluent in both languages ​​and use them successfully.

— That is, it often happens out of ignorance?

— Yes. There’s such a group of people there, it is possible to work with it, to explain to people that they are wrong. There’s still a real chance that they will teach their children the Udmurt language.

— How many respondents participated in the survey?

Described stories - 455. Sometimes one respondent told on behalf of several families. These are Udmurtia, Kirov region, Bashkortostan. There is Europe - in my research from outside Russia there are about 25 families. There are several respondents from Novosibirsk - about 10 families.