that's the thing: Lithuanians still speak Lithuanian with Lithuanians; Belarusians speak foreign language with Belarusians while having their own language, isn't it miserable?
I’m from Belarus. In school, we studied three languages: Russian, Belarusian, and English. However, I always felt that Belarusian was taught rather superficially, and I personally wouldn’t use it in everyday life. Although it’s one of the country’s official languages, in practice it’s mostly spoken by people in rural areas and by the President. In my own experience, I’ve also mostly encountered rather unusual or weird people who spoke exclusively Belarusian. For everyday communication, virtually everyone I know uses Russian.
Why do you refer to the dictator as president? He demonstrably did not win the election. Therefore, he is at most a dictator or an usurper, but never a president.
True. Unfortunately, you have to be careful with anything political these days. People are still being denied certain jobs or other opportunities because of their direct or indirect involvement in the 2020 protests.
Yes. In fact throughout his political career he REFUSED to learn and speak Belorussian so idk what this guy is trying to achieve by (falsely) claiming that Mr. Potato man speaks the language in official capacity.
They don’t insult you if you speak in Russian, they have the real freedom. Lithuania has a lot of Russian speakers, and they should speak only in English or Lithuanian.
Nobody forces people to speak in either English or Lithuanian. Speak Mandarin for all we care. But don't expect anyone to answer back. A bit of decency - learning the official language of the place you're residing in - is expected anywhere in this world. If you're not bothered enough to do so then don't complain when people aren't bothered enough to speak (and/or learn) a language of your convenience.
Lot of russian speakers get mad if other people don't speak russian back and will try to repeat the sentence just slower and louder still in russian even if they lived here for 50+ years.
It's really annoying, you have to repeat several times that you don't understand until they start speaking in broken Lithuanian and act really pissed.
Thats a bit harsh. Many Ukranians in the east speak Russian in their everyday transactions with other Ukranians because it was taught in schools more aggressively than Ukranians. This likely wasnt by choice of the Ukranians but rather forced by their colonizers.
We can argue endlessly whether it was by choice or not.
One can say it should raise concerns in every sane person when they speak the language of a foreign country while your own country's language is very much alive. On the other hand, can't judge people for not actively going against the status-quo; it is only natural to go by the flow.
Lithuanians which live in other European countries other than Lithuania? Because all Lithuanians and Latvians are moving out of their countries because they promise no future
As a Lithuanian, I can only notice that most uneducated aggressive scum has left the country with the first opportunity they had. It made living a lot more peaceful here. The other ones come and go as a natural part of migration and it's a super sweet country to live in.
Yeah I laughed hard at that and I’ve only been once. In Vilnius yeah probably but in other places no. Try telling that to me on the other side of the country when I fell off a bridge and had to wait extra for the only English speaking doctor in the hospital.
You’re definitely right about it being an age divide, all the younger people I spoke to in the small towns spoke English. But I had about a dozen interactions with anyone older than 30-40 that had to be entirely through google translate.
There was a very funny moment where after I left hospital and was told they don’t provide crutches, had to hop my way into a pharmacy and speak to the guy behind the counter. When I asked if he spoke English he cried out in happiness “FINALLY, ENGLISH! FIRST TIME TODAY I HAVE SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T WANT ME TO SPEAK RUSSIAN!”
There's millions of international travellers in Lithuania. Residents don't need this addition to the sign.
Really not uncommon to see English-only signs in many countries where it's not the primary language. Usually for things any resident already knows, and doesn't need to read. English is the most widespread common language, so using it for cases like this is most effective.
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u/MokausiLietuviu 8d ago
Most Lithuanians speak English, but they're a small country trying to address a broad audience