Ukrainian Redaction of Church Slavonic (URCS): Needs for Digitilization and Text Corpora Platform Generation. Part 1

Abstract

The article explores the issues of digitalization and possibilities of text corpus generation for the Ukrainian Redaction of Church Slavonic (URCS). This endangered language is still in use in Liturgical Services in certain regions of Ukraine (mostly Zakarpattia and Lviv Regions), as well as on bordering territories of Slovakia, Romania, and Poland. The given research is on its initial stage. It provides a brief overview of the URCS language history, and examines the interconnections between the Ukrainian language and URCS through examples from its usage in the modern Ukrainian language, as well as in Ukrainian literature of different genres and time periods. In addition, (4) the article suggests preservation and conservation approaches and strategies to URCS digitalization, including the creation of the text corpora platform, from both the user and developer perspectives, with the aim of ensuring its survival for future generations. The given article outlines a set of issues aimed at being solved through (1) the analysis and the classification of URCS text collections, (2) review of Ukrainian corpora and corpus tools available for Ukrainian speaking target users in the open access payment free as well as on reasonable fixed-price basis, (3) corpus-based analysis provided on the examples of URCS lemmas used in the modern Ukrainian language, in the texts of Ukrainian literature of different time periods as well as comparative analysis of URCS texts and their Ukrainian translations focusing on the accuracy, adequacy and faithfulness of specialized terminology and concepts. Furthermore, the article explores the potential of creating digital text corpora for URCS by utilizing modern technologies and methods by the interdisciplinary research team of linguists and IT experts. The creation of such a corpora platform could facilitate linguistic research, including studies on vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, as well as studies on the specific terminology, historical and cultural aspects of the language. The research also highlights the need for further collaboration among linguists, and digital experts to enhance the preservation and promotion of the URCS.