Development of the Ruthenian Language and its Orthography Standards in Serbia

Main objective of the paper is to provide an overview of the development of the Ruthenian language in Serbia. After presenting the historical background the author points out that the most influential book at the beginning of the 20th century was the first Ruthenian grammar (Grammar of Bachka-Ruthenian Speech, 1923) by Havriil Kostel`nik. The first and the only Orthographic Rule-Book of the Ruthenian Language by Mikola M. Kochish was published in 1971. The orthography achieved its main goal – to establish the basic orthographic principles. Although some of the secondary problems were not treated in the first Ruthenian orthography it was very useful and influential. In the last part of the paper the author explains the characteristics of the Orthographic Dictionary of the Ruthenian Language,the second one in the history of the Ruthenian national minority, which is to be published by the Department of Ruthenian Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad.