She is one of those who believe in Ukraine and acts accordingly. In 1996, she left Paris to settle in Ukraine and has been here ever since. She comes from an emigre family and is now the proprietor and chief editor of the French-Ukrainian Le Kaleidoscope Ukrainien [The Ukrainian Kaleidoscope]. Her every step, every idea are subordinated to the project’s idea, although Ms. Witochynsky is perplexed that she cannot have every issue come off presses precisely on schedule, mostly because some advertisers fail to comply with their payment deadlines. When asked why not get some grants, she just shrugs, saying, “You don’t understand what the real owner of a real media is all about.” Despite her Ukrainian parentage, Zirka Witochynsky looks precisely the way we picture every typically French lady: slim, graceful, wearing clothes with that inimitable chic which does not immediately meet the eye but is always there. Yet her temperament is truly Ukrainian Cossack. She is very professional, meticulous, making sure that every item, let alone quotation, is checked and double-checked, and very demanding about syntax. She was among the participants in the discussion of the Articles of the World Ukrainian Press Association, held by the information-publication section of the Third World Ukrainian Forum. Everybody noticed her prowess when taking part in the debate, keeping the secretariat ticking, counting votes, and submitting proposals. Her report on ways to solve the language problems in France and Ukraine was brilliant, so much so that many had to reconsider their attitude toward the issue. Actually, this was the starting point of the following interview.
LINGUAL DESERTION
The Day: You cited France in your speech at the Third World Ukrainian Forum as an example of how one should uphold the official language. Is there any evidence that the steps, perhaps a bit too severe, taken by the French government back in the 1990s are having any real effect?
Z. W.: French has remained the official, although “unconstitutional” language over four and a half centuries. That was a joke. In 1539, Francis I, king of France, signed the Ordinance of Villers-Cotter ц ets, in the north of Picardy, replacing Latin with French in all legal instruments and registrar books. Yet the formula that French is the official language of the French Republic was introduced in our constitution — guess when? — in 1992! This was caused by growing Anglicization and a matching response from the learned and outraged French public circles, people belonging to various non- governmental and nonprofit organizations. Pressed by them, the French government enacted the famous Toubon Law, named for the then French minister of education, introducing a national language policy geared to enforce French in all spheres protecting the French citizenry. Under the new law, the usage of French was to be officially supervised and appropriate sanctions were provided for transgressions. For example, persons found to have breached it were to be fined 5,000 — 25,000 francs ($1,000-5,000). In 2000, six years from the date of its enactment, there was a French parliamentary report reading that the law was being effectively implemented and that the French society was “keenly aware of the French language problem.” And that it could “be mobilized whenever it sees the language threatened.” Still, the report read, “those in power must show vigilance, voluntarism, and imagination,” because the French law was increasingly often challenged by European court rulings and developing information technologies. Thus, the General Directorate for Competition, Consumption, and Termination of Fraudulent Practices enhanced its activity in 1999 compared to 1998 (read the report), and the percentage of transgressions in the language sphere decreased accordingly, by 1%, reaching the 11% mark, while the number of court actions dropped from 124 to 98. As for employee protection, the situation looked less encouraging, as an increasing number of large firms were adopting English as their working language. These firms rarely take the cultural dimension into account, which, according to the report, “might introduce a discordant note into the works of such enterprises and cause the employees to lose their guiding motive.” And, it continues, “an end must be put to being interested in the economic factors relating to the language problem.” Infractions continue to be registered at international exhibitions and colloquiums; performances, programs, and documents using the French language are being obstructed.
Simultaneously, in order to enrich the French language, the General Commission of Terminology and Neologisms issued a collection of terminology with approximately 2,500 expressions and several new lists containing economic, financial, and Internet vocabulary. And the General Delegation of the French Language is successfully working on the development of scholarly periodicals and individual translations at international exhibitions.
The Day: What negative effects of Anglicization in French society is sustaining? How does it react to them?
Z. W.: In the information space, except for rare ads that are not translated from English, hardships also related to captions contained in some sports programs, and obstacles encountered by launching French songs, considering the existing radio station quotas (40%), the Supreme Broadcasting Council, under the said report, “registered no other infractions whatsoever,” and “the French and European telecast quotas have been observed.”
However, the text of the Grand Meeting called The French Language Outraged, read aloud in the National Assembly on February 23, 2000, pictures a less encouraging situation concerning the French language. It is stated there that teaching languages, in actuality, is reduced to the compulsory teaching of English, starting in daycare. “As though it could be assumed that our students have such fluent command of French that we can afford the luxury” was how many a participant voiced their sentiments, outraged. And consider several other excerpts from the document: “Here is this newly assigned manager, heretofore a ranking public servant, recently promoted, now imposing English during board meetings at Biencourt; or this representative of France at the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, speaking English in Europarliament, where France is presiding and welcoming texts only in English. And here is this minister considering that English is no longer a foreign language in our country, urging scientists to respond to his ministry’s tenders in English (so what equality of languages can be discussed at all? — ask the French). Further this document says that even public servants speak English when holding meetings at their respective ministries in Paris; managers impose the language on their subordinates on a daily basis, even at the risk of punishment. Let alone the insistent calls heard on Fan Radio, NRG, and other radio stations urging they use the language of the Internet. “Why should we find fault with them, considering that even a French minister speaks English at the Administration of the President of France, at the Elysees Royal Palace?” ask the authors of this missive. In order to preserve their language, volunteer organizations compose numerous letters of protest and encouragement. They stage joint actions together with other organizations in France and other French-speaking countries, and address politicians and candidate deputies, concerning transgressions being carried just in the state sector of France and in European institutions. They initiate court actions versus private or state enterprises, which by ignoring French violate consumer rights. Precisely from them comes the call urging consumers not to buy any products from any enterprises not using the French language in their production process; not to sell or promote goods. These organizations are developing means of monitoring the violations detected by their members — in order to release a periodical and selection of those infractions, against which it is necessary to commence court proceedings. They actively demand demonstrative sanctions against French officials in case of “language desertion,” specifically those representing France in international organizations, congresses, and meeting at the highest level. Precisely these volunteer organizations step forth to oppose the shooting of movies in English that are financed by the state budget (for example, protests during the Cesar (French equivalent of the Oscar) awards ceremony or suspending the shooting of a television film in Paris).
“DON’T LET YOURSELF BE FOOLED BY A SACK OF GRAIN”
The Day: It is understood that today’s Ukraine cannot be described as a monolingual country. Apart from the influences of globalization, with which France is struggling so successfully, our country also has a certain historical legacy. However, what can Ukraine specifically borrow from how the language problem has been solved in France? How do you personally assess the language situation that has developed in our country?
Z. W.: Anyone can do something for the Ukrainian language, meaning also for the benefit of your society’s accord. One could start by subscribing and donating to Ukrainian-language publications. Ukrainian should be used more often. After all there are so many foreigners studying this language, because they fell in love with its melodious quality... Yet I must admit that in matters relating to languages and other such things a lot depends on everybody obeying the law. In order to neutralize all those wielding power and using their status to make a fortune rather than serving their people; I think the only way is to keep the scales even between the state and the general public. This must be worked upon very hard, starting with oneself. One must learn about one’s rights, especially the right to private property. One must not let oneself be fooled with a sack of grain, but vote after looking carefully at a given politician or government official: What has he actually done for the people? Who should get credit for the fact that pensions and wages are actually being paid? One should demand that the elections be under public control, with people checking ballot boxes; people must join non-governmental organizations (unity is power!). Believe me, any regime, anywhere in the world is frightened to have a conscious society. One should further closely watch the performance of the people elected; when there are problems, one must not hesitate to turn to the law, for it exists only when applied (and those that have been disillusioned should know that this is precisely what the crooks in power are counting on). At the same time, one must not think that everybody in power is bad. If anyone above disappoints you, go to someone else, let them know what competition is all about... Those in power will not give you freedom; you must struggle for it, relying on the constitution (even if imperfect). Nineteenth century French theologian Henri Carordaire aptly said, “Freedom is oppressive between the strong and the weak, and the law is liberating.”
ABOUT RUSSIAN LANGUAGE AND ON THE STATE PRINCIPLES OF THE NATIONAL IDEA
The Day: When deliberating the Statute of the Association of the World Ukrainian Press, many a Forum delegate opposed the inclusion of Russian-language periodicals published in Ukraine, stressing that they, being in Russian, do not support the state-building and national idea. What do you think?
Z. W.: Indeed, there is such a rare phenomenon as Russian-language media in Ukraine adhering to the principles of state-building. It is thus no surprise that the issue of their admission to the association provoked differences among the delegates; some believed that it was contrary to the stated objective (assertion of the Ukrainian nation state with the help of the Ukrainian information space); others insisted that the Russian-speaking consumers of those media should not be discarded.
I proposed a middle course; the association accepts such media that actually adhere to state-building principles, but on condition (laid down in a separate agreement) that they will be Ukrainized within a certain period. Perhaps the regime should be simultaneously pressed for keeping its word and making it possible (using all known means) to create a Ukrainian information space. Look at France. It shows an example, having changed its modus operandi in Ukraine. The Skovoroda Program, being carried out by the French Embassy in Ukraine, is aimed at financially supporting translations of French literary, scholarly and technical works. The program was, however, a bit anomalous at first, for some of these translations were in Russian. This injustice was eventually corrected. Francois Delahousse, embassy political counselor, explains that the latter has stopped financing translations related to the French Embassy in Russia.
NOT CASSETTE RECORDING, BUT LIVE WORDS
The Day: What do you think of the Third Forum, its performance and resolutions? Many accused it of being dominated by the state-building idea. Was it really so? Did you have any interesting meetings at the forum?
Z. W.: One could only wonder at the Ukrainian president being at the head of the organizing committee of such an important event as the World Ukrainian Forum, and that the committee included government officials. The principal questions raised by the First Forum are still open, and without answering them any well-being is impossible. Among these questions are making Ukrainian a language of daily usage, creating a single Ukrainian Local Church, and recognizing OUN-UPA as a World War II combatant. Perhaps by joining the organizing committee, those government officials finally decided to take the steps necessary for the strengthening of the Ukrainian state, and speeches made at the forum testified to this. I remember President Kuchma saying, “The Ukrainian language must and will become dominant in the Ukrainian state...; a nation state cannot exist without a national idea... capable of uniting the whole Ukrainian people.” Well, it was not cassette recording but live words...
Considering the situation that developed at the Forum, one must play the game by the rules thus formed and see that those making such statements are as good as their word... If they try to act otherwise, appropriate conclusions must be drawn and public control be enforced. As for my meetings, I met with a lot of old friends, participants in the First and Second Forum; I also met Vadym Doroshenko, the young publisher of Velyka dytiacha hazeta (Big Children’s Gazette). His business is thriving precisely thanks to the Ukrainian language.
The Day: What do you think of those ethnic Ukrainians that decided to take Ukrainian citizenship and are actively participating in our political life?
Z. W.: It’s a phenomenon of world importance and something well to be expected. Poles, Bulgarians, Lithuanians, Czechs, and people of other nations artificially scattered across the world have of late been returning to their historical homelands, each carrying Western knowledge and experience. Why should the Ukrainians of the emigration or their children be an exception? And there are many willing to do just that. Everyone at the forum heard Mykhailo Vynnytsky, a Cambridge doctoral student request Ukrainian citizenship, along with thirty friends... This fact alone shows that there is human potential committed to Ukraine. The latter has only to recognize its children, even if by granting them some special status. When asked where I come home, I reply that gave up Paris for Kyiv. Some just can’t believe it. But as I tell them about my love and respect for both France and Ukraine, that I have never regretted my choice: I make them think.
THE DAY’S REFERENCE
Zirka Witochynsky is the editor-in-chief of Le Kaleidoscope Ukrainien published in Kyiv. A web page is being developed. She comes from a Ukrainian family, former Auschwitz and Soviet prison camp inmates, who subsequently found refuge in the West. She grew up in France and graduated from the Sorbonne, majoring in English and American literature. She started by working for the French print media and radio. For a long time was the only professional of Ukrainian parentage. When it became possible to directly cooperate with Ukraine, Ms. Witochynsky was the first Western stringer for a Ukrainian radio station (staying with it for six years). For eleven years (until 1996) she chaired the Ukrainian Studies Society at the Institute of Oriental Languages in Paris, where, together with colleagues, she familiarized the French-speaking public with Ukraine, organizing conferences and issuing publications). She has often been invited to various French radio and television programs as a journalist well acquainted with Ukraine.
