Fact #44
The oldest mention of the Ukrainian language was in 858.
The oldest mention of the Ukrainian language was in 858. After the publication of “Aeneid” by Ivan Kotlyarevskyi, the Ukrainian language was equated with a literary language. Ivan Kotlyarevsky is rightfully considered the founder of the new Ukrainian language.
The first printed primer, published by a Ukrainian author, was entitled “The science of reading and understanding Slavic writing”. He was born in Vilna (present-day Vilnius) in 1596 through the efforts of Lavrentiy Zyzanius. A dictionary containing 1061 words was added to the book.
The first primer published in Ukraine was “Bukvar” (“Alphabet”), printed in 1574 in Lviv by the first printer Ivan Fedorov. The book consisted of the alphabet, syllables, examples of conjugation and a short reader. Only one copy has reached us, which was found in Rome in 1927. It is kept in the library of Harvard University (USA). The facsimile edition was made in Kyiv in 1964 and 1974.
In the modern Ukrainian language, in contrast to Russian, the ancient Slavic names of the months have been preserved: Sichenʹ – January (the time of cutting down the forest), Lyutyy – February (severe frosts), Berezenʹ – March (here there are several interpretations: the birch begins to bloom; birch sap was taken ; burned birch for coal), Kvitenʹ – April (beginning of birch blossom), Travenʹ – May (grass turns green), Chervenʹ – June (cherries turn red), Lypenʹ – July (beginning of linden blossom), Serpenʹ – August (from the word “sickle” , which indicates the time of harvest), Veresenʹ – September (blooming heather), Zhovtenʹ – October (yellowing leaves), Lystopad – November (leaves fall from trees), Hrudenʹ – December (from the word “clump” – a frozen rut on the road).
Fact #45
The word “Ukraine” appears for the first time in the annals as early as 1187.
The word “Ukraine” was first used in writing in 1187. “Country, Ukraine and Ukraine” was used in the Ipatiev Chronicle and became widely used among the Ukrainian people in their living and written language.
According to historian Serhiy Shelukhin, the first mention in the annals of the name “Ukraine” is connected with the death of Prince Volodymyr Hlibovych of Pereyaslav, who showed himself to be a persistent defender not only of Pereyaslav region, but also of Kyiv region, Chernihiv region and Ukrainian lands in general against the attacks of the Polovtsy.
Thus, the first mention of the name “Ukraine” in the Kyiv annals refers to Southern Russia, i.e., to Kyiv Oblast, Pereyaslav Oblast, and Chernihiv Oblast.