Kyiv is the capital of Ukraine. It is a spacious, modern city that nevertheless has a long history which reaches back at least two thousand years. By population, it is the seventh largest city in Europe. Like most cities, it looks its best in the summertime. Kyiv boasts 127 parks. Here are images of just five of them:-
Feofania Park
Kalynovka Park
Park of Miniatures
Holosiivskyi National Natural Park
Sakyra Park
Until today, I have always referred to the city as Kiev but now I realise that I was wrong because that version of the city's name is connected with the Russification of Ukraine in the twentieth century. Choosing to say "Kee-iv" is a small spoken act of solidarity with the Ukrainian people in defiance of the version promoted by Russia. I am sure that this explains why TV news journalists have altered their pronunciation of the city's name in the last few weeks.
Thanks for the explanation. Kyiv it is then. I've seen a little of the city on the internet and it really is such a beautiful place...well in the popular tourist areas at least.
ReplyDeleteNot so beautiful with Russian military presence.
DeleteThank you for explaining about the correct pronunciation of Kyiv. What beautiful photos of their lovely parks. What a tragedy that they are under siege. I hope they can persevere.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, David did beat Goliath.
DeleteI wondered why the pronunciation of Kiev had changed. That explains it.
ReplyDeleteIt was irritating me but now I know.
DeleteI too will be changing my pronunciation of this city. I would give up Russian vodka but I don't drink vodka anyway. I feel so helpless.
ReplyDeleteIt is frustrating not to be able to do anything.
DeleteKyiv is the Ukrainian pronunciation. I hope Putin rots in hell. I'm guessing that without money his friends may turn on him. One can hope.
ReplyDeleteWe should all favour the Ukrainian pronunciation.
Deletethe Ukraine has modernized since it left the Soviet Unions clutches.
ReplyDeleteRussian peasants may have been looking in with envy and Putin would be fearful of that.
DeleteI trust, then, that you refer to the capital city of Denmark as CopenHAHgen and not CopenHAYgen as the latter is what the Germans called it.
ReplyDeleteThe Danes don't say either but something more akin to KubnHAWN.
Neil, I can no longer see my comment as it is awaiting your moderation, but I may have said that exactly backward. CopenHAHgen is what the Germans said, so we should say CopenHAYgen in solidarity with the Danes (even though they do indeed say KubnHAWN). Sorry if I got that backward. My excuse is that I'm 80. What's yours?
ReplyDeleteIn Britain we call Roma Rome. We call Den Haag The Hague and we call Sverige Sweden. There are many other examples. However, with Kyiv it is different. Choosing "Keyv" rather that "Key-Ev" is a way of honouring the Ukrainian pronunciation rather than sticking with the Russian version.
DeleteYou actually reinforced my point rather than contradict it. Regardless of what Danes say to one another, we should say CopenHAYgen to honour what the Danes want others to say, but especially NOT CopenHAHgen because the Germany invading them in 1940 called it that. It is irrelevant to this discussion that Swedes say Sverige to one another; they saw Sweden to everyone else. Point, set, and match.
DeleteI didn't realise I was in a tennis match. In England we do tend to say CopenHAYgen.
DeleteThat's because Danny Kay always sang "Beautiful, beautiful, CopenHAYgan."
DeleteI guessed that was what happened with the name. Have Ukranians been using Kyiv since independence or is it a recent thing?
ReplyDeleteAs I understand it, they have always used "Keyv".
DeleteHow can this even be happening?
ReplyDeleteIt's Kee-iv? Here our newsreaders are saying Kie-iv or Kye-iv.
ReplyDeleteThose parks are very beautiful and I hope they come through this unscathed. I would love to walk through the Park of Miniatures.
Spelt Kyiv but pronounced "Keyv".
DeleteThank you for that explanation of the name change.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome young man.
DeleteLovely photos, what a pleasant place it must have been to live, and hopefully will be again before too long - when the people are free again.
ReplyDeleteThough it's of no practical help, I shall in future refer to it by it's new pronunciation - in solidarity with all those poor beleaguered people.
I, too, feel so helpless.
So many have fled. How and when will they ever get back? What will they find?
DeleteLooks a beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteAnd not a polytunnel in sight anywhere!
DeleteI must admit I have not noticed a change in pronunciation yet.
ReplyDeleteThe parks look beautiful! I would love to explore the miniatures.
A friend of mine spent a week in the city in the 1990s and was full of praise.
Maybe the pronunciation change is an English speaking thing.
DeleteWell I steeled myself to view the news this morning. Being one of those wretched Guardian readers of course, my news comes from them. The collar of steel is being tightened round Putin's neck, so slightly optimistic that Kyiv will stay unscathed and that the brave Ukrainians will keep their country.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/26/the-world-shuns-pariah-putin
The trouble with "The Guardian" is that its journalism is intelligent and measured. It delves into corners where other newspapers tend not to go and it arrives at conclusions and insights that are different from the norm. No wonder "snowflakes" read "The Guardian"! Are you a "snowflake" Thelma? Personally, I am a "hailstone".
DeleteNo I don't think so. There is a sentence in the Iliad describing words as falling like snow onto the ground, so perhaps 'snowflakes' is not a bad word. Overcoming anger when ones sees injustice is perhaps the hardest thing to do.
ReplyDeleteIt is ridiculous to refer to Guardian readers and other liberal-minded people as "snowflakes". What does it really mean? The labelling is just plain ignorant.
DeleteGood to see the real beauty of the city instead of the destruction. Somehow that humanizes it instead of seeing it as just one more war zone in the world.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly why I made this post Marty.
DeleteI am so glad you straightened me out on the pronunciation of Kyiv. Just yesterday, a friend and I were discussing our confusion over how it was being pronounced on the news. If I speak to her today, I can straighten her out ...and look "smart" at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI've spent my morning reading about the invasion and oddly I'm left feeling slightly optimistic. The world is so supportive of the Ukraine. I'm sure Putin never expected this reaction. Even Russian civilians are protesting in great numbers which is a hopeful sign in my mind.
Happy to have been of service Melinda. I suspect that your friend already thought that you were smart!
DeleteI wonder if those parks have survived the Putin aggression. First Hitler, now Putin. Poor Ukraine.
ReplyDeleteIt is almost impossible to imagine the pain, fear and confusion that ordinary Ukrainians are now suffering because of Putin.
Delete