Dedicated to the centenary of Russian spelling reform. The fate of Russian language in the publications of Narodopravstvo weekly

The work dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Russian spelling reform deals with the history of the fight for the national cultural values in the epoch of revolutionary destruction. The research focuses on the publications of 1917 in Narodopravstvo weekly that have been staying out of view of the academicians. These are articles “Fate of language” by D. Arkin, “Obligatory illiteracy” by N. Dosekin and “Our language” by B. Zaytsev. These works allow to clarify some specifics of linguistic consciousness of the Russian society, bring additional shades to the picture of cultural and historical process of early 20th c. Realizing the threat of the cultural layer destruction, the authors of the articles oppose the escalation of negative trends in language and suggest the ways to purify Russian speech, bringing back its vitality and strength. The central point of polemics is the spelling reform begun by the Provisional government and then violently enforced by the Bolsheviks. Arguments against new spelling, the most important of them being a gap with centuries-old heritage of the people are considered. The work also includes the review of declarations of writers and creative figures who attempted, following suit to Narodopravstvo, to have the reform cancelled in the first year of the Soviet power. Evaluations of traditional spelling among the Russian émigré and in the modern academic discourse are also presented.