Trasyanka and surzhik

[Elena Gapova]

Dear colleagues,

my question is about the phenomenon which is called trasyanka in Belarus and
surzhik in Ukraine and is usually described (very simplistically) as "a
mixture of two languages, Russian and Belarusian (Ukrainian)" allegedly
resulting from locals (villagers) trying to speak Russian, as they move into
citites, and finishing with trasyanka instead of a literary standard
language (the social process is more interesting and complicated, of
course). There are other interpretations, too.

Does anyone know if anyhting has been published on the phenomenon?

Elena Gapova

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