site.btaUPDATED Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Calls for Protection of Bulgarian Language

The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) expressed concern over the state of public speech and called for the protection of the richness, beauty and sonority of the Bulgarian language, as this appeal was presented by BAS scientists at a press conference on Monday.

The call for the protection of the language was initiated by the Art and Art Studies branch of the Assembly of Academicians and Corresponding Members of BAS (AACM).

In the words of the BAS scientists, the Bulgarian language today is "severely deformed by massive non-observance of its basic rules and heavily polluted by unnecessary foreign words for which there are wonderful Bulgarian words". "We are witnessing a systematic underestimation of the relationship between language, literature, history, culture and their importance for social development. Those who deal with the Bulgarian language and Bulgarian culture are increasingly losing prestige in society, and society is losing sensitivity to the encroachments on the language, to the unacceptable ways in which speech is used in public space," the initiators write.

Their appeal is directed to the Education Ministry, the Culture Ministry, universities, MPs of all parties, public figures and especially to the Bulgarian media which “have great potential for preserving linguistic culture and enforcing grammatically and intonationally correct vocabulary”.

“BAS’ call aims to unite everyone in caring for the Bulgarian language, because this is not in the power of just one person or one institution. We have to take a stand to restore the prestige of the Bulgarian language and the proper way of speaking, involving all responsible institutions - the media, the Council for electronic media (CEM), the universities”, said academician Svetlana Kujumdzieva, chair of AACM’s Art and Art Studies branch.

Corresponding Member Ivan Ilchev argued that “limited language is a sign of limited spirituality”. He expressed skepticism regarding the addressees of the appeal and the possibility that the language of politicians or the media will change in the foreseeable future.

Corresponding Member Ivan Granitski pointed out that scientists see journalists as collaborators in a common effort to preserve the Bulgarian language.

Prof. Ana Kocheva from the Bulgarian Language Institute at BAS stated that "Bulgarian is an endangered language".

Assoc. Prof. Elka Traykova urged Bulgarian language knowledge to be turned into a condition for granting Bulgarian citizenship.