Ukrainian Ethnicity and Language Interactions in Saskatchewan.

This paper explores the reported ethnic self-identity of Saskatchewan residents with Ukrainian ancestry, the role of the Ukrainian language in this identity, and the correlation between the factors of ethnic identity, Ukrainian language proficiency, age, gender, and generation. The results show that most participants (Saskatchewan residents with Ukrainian ancestry) identify themselves as "Ukrainian Canadians," about a quarter of respondents identify themselves as "Ukrainian," and about 15% as "Canadian." The results confirm the importance of language in the construction of ethnicity. Most individuals with self-identified "Ukrainian" and "Ukrainian Canadian" ethnicities had Ukrainian as their sole mother tongue in childhood, whereas individuals who self-identify as "Canadian" did not. The use and knowledge of Ukrainian, as well as the level of comfort with the language, are the highest in the "Ukrainian" ethnic group, followed by the "Ukrainian Canadian" group, and are the lowest in the "Canadian" and "Other" groups. The study shows that the immigrant generation, gender, and experience with bilingual schools are also contributing social factors in perceived ethnic self-identity. The results suggest that the opportunities to take Ukrainian language courses in Saskatchewan could be improved. The study helps to establish the components of Ukrainian Canadian ethnicity and explore its diversity and complexity, particularly in relationship to the maintenance of the Ukrainian language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]