Location: http://clover.slavic.pitt.edu/structure/p-grammars.html
Last modified:
2010-01-10
Main course web page: http://clover.slavic.pitt.edu/structure/index.html
Belarusian is very similar to Russian, but that similarity is easier to hear in speech than it is to recognize in print. Belarusian, like Russian, reduces unstressed vowels, so that, for example, unstressed о sounds the same as unstressed а. Unlike, Russian, though, Belarusian spells vowel reduction. For example, the Belarusian word that corresponds to Russian город is горад. but the plural is гарады; note the change in the spelling of the first vowel because the stress in the plural is on the ending.
Take a look at the examples below from Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (from http://www.omniglot.com/writing/belorussian.htm and http://www.omniglot.com/writing/russian.htm). Try reading the Belarusian out loud and see whether that makes it easier to understand. Mouse over a Belarusian word for linguistic commentary.
Усе людзi нараджаюцца свабоднымi i роўнымi ў сваёй годнасцi i правах. Яны надзелены розумам i сумленнем i павiнны ставiцца адзiн да аднаго ў духу брацтва.
Все люди рождаются свободными и равными в своем достоинстве и правах. Они наделены разумом и совестью и должны поступать в отношении друг друга в духе братства.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.