Native languages and languages of interethnic communication in Russia in the 1920s (according to the All-Union Population Census of 1926)

The paper deals with the analysis of linguistic diversity of Russia in the 1920s. The author explores the problems of national languages and languages of interethnic communication. As a result of the processes of assimilation and ethnic integration, the number of native languages decreased in favor of the languages of the “large” nations, in particular, Russian. The latter played a major role as a language of interethnic communication and a second language. In a number of multiethnic regions, it is a means of communication not only between different ethnic groups, but also between representatives of one nation, which has numerous dialects and idioms that differ significantly from each other. The paper analyzes the linguistic features, first of all, of multiethnic regions – the Volga region, the North Caucasus, the North of the European part, Siberia and the Far East. The native language (“language of the cradle”, “mother’s language”) is, along with national identity, the most important sign of belonging to an ethnic group. Today, conditions have been created in Russia for the revival, study and development of native languages. Even minorities have the opportunity to study their native languages, original culture, history, customs, and practice traditional religion.