Institutional and Social Dimensions of the Presence of the Russian Language in Cyprus

Abstract

The Russian community is one of the largest communities in Cyprus, since the island has been historically regarded as a preferred relocation destination. The current research on the presence of the Russian language on the island is conducted from the viewpoint of georusistics, a semi-new branch of Russian philology, which considers the Russian language as a variable, worldwide language. A retrospective of the Russia-Cyprus relationship is provided and the current state of play, public and private Cyprus institutions supporting the Russian language, is also described. The expanding Russian community in Cyprus is adjusting through various similar features between the two cultures, through a wide use of the Russian language, establishment of Russian schools, churches, organisations and media.