Closest Slavic language to Russian?

Seljuk   Tue Jan 23, 2007 2:01 pm GMT
What language do you think is the closest to Russian?I heard it was Ukrainian, is it? Or do you have any other opinions and why do you think so?
Linguist   Wed Jan 24, 2007 10:41 am GMT
As belorussian language is almost extinct, I would say that Ukrainian is the closest.
...   Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:45 pm GMT
1. Belorussian is not extinct.
2. Ukranian is much closer to Russian than Belarussian. The latter is closer to Polish.
Kent   Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:32 am GMT
Belarussian is hated by Belarussians who prefer Russian.
Go figure!
JakubikF   Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:16 pm GMT
<<. Ukranian is much closer to Russian than Belarussian. The latter is closer to Polish. >>

Belarussian is not so close to Polish as you think. It is mixed Russian and a little Polish. Generaly if didn't know a bit Russian I wouldn't understand anything in Belarussian. Slavic languages are divided into three groups so Russian, Belarussian and Ukrainian - one group; Polish, Czech, Slovak - is another group. Inside groups languages are similar to each other.
Priscian   Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:58 pm GMT
A language very close to Russian is Rusyn, which is still spoken and has some status in Slovakia and Vojvodina (Serbia). Rusyn is seldom mentioned in the list of Slavic languages; because some designate it as Russian while others see as Ukrainian (Ruthenian).
Furanko   Sat Feb 03, 2007 11:25 am GMT
Я думаю, что самый похожий на русский язык - это русынь.

Йа джумае, что самиjа на росийски мову, то - русынь.