War of words: my language lessons in Ukraine

In this episode of The Guardian, Charlotte Higgins, the chief culture correspondent, recounts her transformative experience of learning Ukrainian amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine. After her first visit to Ukraine in September 2022, she was inspired to connect more deeply with the people and their culture through language. Charlotte highlights the challenges of learning Ukrainian, particularly in the context of its complexity and the heartbreaking vocabulary that comes with the war. With the help of her teacher Olya Makar, Charlotte dedicated herself to understanding the language, viewing the process as a way to bridge gaps and understand nuances in Ukrainian culture.

Charlotte discusses the political implications of language during wartime, acknowledging how many Ukrainians have shifted to Ukrainian from Russian to reclaim their identity amid conflict. The episode emphasizes the richness of Ukrainian literature and culture and the importance of language in fostering connection and understanding in war. She reflects on how learning Ukrainian has deepened her cultural insights and changed her approach to reporting, illustrating that language learning at her age was both humbling and enlightening. The episode concludes with Charlotte reading a poignant poem by Ukrainian poet Irena Tsilik, encapsulating the juxtaposition of everyday life against the backdrop of war.