People Of Belarus: What's In A Name?

Belarusians (in Belarusian: беларусы) are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Belarus. They natively speak Belarusian, an East Slavic language. Belarusians constitute the majority of Belarus' population, with nearly 7.99 million residing in the country. The official language of Belarus is Belarusian, and the majority of Belarusians adhere to Eastern Orthodoxy.

During the Soviet era, Belarusians were referred to as Byelorussians or Belorussians, derived from Byelorussia, which was influenced by the Russian Белоруссия. Before that, they were typically known as White Russians or White Ruthenians, derived from White Russia or White Ruthenia.

Upon Belarusian independence in 1991, they became known as Belarusians, sometimes spelled as Belarusans, Belarussians, or Belorusians. The term White Rus was first used in the Middle Ages to refer to the area of Polotsk, and the name has evolved over time with various influences from neighbouring countries and languages.

Belarusians

The term "Belarusian" came into use after the country gained independence in 1991. Before that, during the Soviet era, Belarusians were referred to as Byelorussians or Belorussians, derived from "Byelorussia" or "White Russia." The term "White Rus" was first used in the Middle Ages to refer to the area of Polotsk. During the 17th century, the Russian tsars used the term to describe the lands added from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

The two official languages of Belarus are Belarusian and Russian. The majority of Belarusians adhere to Eastern Orthodoxy.

In the 8th and 9th centuries, Belarusian lands were inhabited by three tribal unions: the Krivichs, Dregoviches, and Radimichs. Of these, the Krivichs played the most important role, and their cultural and political centre was Polotsk. The principalities formed at that time on Belarusian territory were part of Kievan Rus'.

As a result of Lithuanian expansion, Belarus became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which accelerated the Slavicization of the Baltic population. Between the 13th and 16th centuries, a distinct Ruthenian language was formed, called "Old Belarusian" by Belarusian researchers and "Old Ukrainian" by Ukrainian ones. Belarusians began to emerge as a nationality during this period, mainly on the lands of the upper basins of the Neman, Dnieper, and Western Dvina rivers.

Belarussians

Belarusians, also referred to as Belarussians, are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Belarus. They speak Belarusian, an East Slavic language closely related to Russian. The country's other official language is Russian.

Belarusians constitute the majority of Belarus' population, with nearly 7.99 million residing in the country. Significant populations also exist in the United States and Russia, with over 500,000 in each. Additionally, Belarusians can be found in neighbouring countries such as Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, and the Russian Federation.

Historically, Belarusians have had various names. During the Soviet era, they were referred to as Byelorussians or Belorussians, derived from Byelorussia, which was influenced by the Russian "Белоруссия". Prior to this, they were often known as White Russians or White Ruthenians, stemming from "White Russia" or "White Ruthenia". The term "White Rus" was first used in the Middle Ages to refer to the area of Polotsk.

Upon achieving independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the country and its people adopted the name "Belarusians", derived from "Беларусь" in Belarusian. Alternative spellings include Belarusans, Belarussians, and Belorusians.

The name "Belarus" translates to "White Ruthenia" or "White Russia", and the country is sometimes referred to as such even today. However, this usage is declining as people recognise Belarus as a distinct sovereign state.

Belorusians

During the Soviet era, Belorusians were referred to as Byelorussians or Belorussians, derived from Byelorussia, which comes from the Russian "Белоруссия". Before this, they were typically known as White Russians or White Ruthenians. Upon Belarusian independence in 1991, they became known as Belorusians, sometimes spelt Belarusans, Belarussians, or Belorusians.

The term White Rus, also known as White Ruthenia or White Russia, was first used in the Middle Ages to refer to the area of Polotsk. The name Rus itself is derived from the Rus' people, who gave their name to the territories of Kievan Rus'. During the 17th century, the Russian tsars used the term to describe the lands added from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. However, during the Russian Civil War, the term White Russian became associated with the White movement.

The two official languages of Belarus are Belarusian and Russian, with the latter being made co-official in a 1995 referendum. Belorusians, like most Europeans, largely descend from three distinct lineages: Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, Neolithic farmers, and Yamnaya steppe pastoralists.

Byelorussians

The term "Byelorussian" has been used historically to refer to people from Belarus, especially during the Soviet era. However, since Belarus gained independence in 1991, the term "Belarusian" has become more common and is now the preferred term. The official language of Belarus is Belarusian, which is closely related to Russian.

In different languages, there are various terms to refer to Byelorussians. For example, in Arabic, the term is "بيلاروسيّ" (bilarūsiyy), while in German, it is "Weißrusse" or "Weißrussisch". The Latin term is "Rūthēnus Albus" or "Rūthēnicus albus".

White Russians

The people of Belarus are known as Belarusians, Belarussians, or White Russians. The term "White Russian" was first used in the Middle Ages to refer to the area of Polotsk. During the Soviet era, the people of Belarus were referred to as Byelorussians or Belorussians, derived from Byelorussia or Belorussia. Upon Belarusian independence in 1991, they became known as Belarusians, sometimes spelled as Belarusans, Belarussians, or Belorusians.

The term "White Russian" has a long history and has been used to refer to Belarusians for centuries. However, it is important to note that during the Russian Civil War, the term became associated with the White movement.

The Slavic language spoken in Belarus is also called Belarusian or, less commonly, Belarusan. It is an East Slavic language closely related to Russian and is the native language of Belarusians.

In different languages, the term "White Russian" is translated literally or used as a direct equivalent of "Belarusian". For example, in German, "Weißrussisch" or "Weißruthenisch" means White Russian, while in French, "biélorusse" or "bélarusse" is used for both Belarusian and White Russian.

While the term "White Russian" has been used historically and is still used in some contexts, it is important to respect the preference of Belarusians for the term "Belarusian" to refer to themselves and their language.

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