The Choice of Languages for Website of Organizations in Case of Multilingual Customers

1
Lviv Politechnic National University
2
Національний університет «Львівська політехніка»

The paper describes the changes of potential customers' language priorities in multilingual societies at the example of Ukraine. The case of Ukraine is interesting because of sharp changes in customers' attitude to other countries. It makes huge influence on customer behavior while buying goods: customers pay much more attention on the country of product origin. That is why the hypothesis of the article was that such changes in attitude to products produced in certain countries also connected with changes in attitude to languages of these countries and that companies should take into account these changes in their internet-marketing. To check this hypothesis the survey to identify business attitude to this question on the example of websites of Ukrainian bank sector was made. This economic sector is the most vulnerable to customer loyalty. Research showed that Ukrainian language is the prior to satisfy potential clients, and Russian language is needed to avoid the incomprehension of Russian speaking population.

  1. Pravo na ukrajinomovnyj prostir. [The right to a Ukrainian language space]. (2015). Retrieved from // http://language-policy.info/2015/02/pravo-na-ukrajinomovnyj-prostir/ (refered on 24.03.2017). [in Ukrainian].
  2. V Ukraini dvomovnist ye asymetrychnoiu, na vidminu vid sytuatsii v kolyshnii Chekhoslovachchyni. [In Ukraine bilingualism is asymmetric, unlike the situation in Czechoslovakia]. (2016). Retrieved from // http://www.radiosvoboda.org/content/ article/ 27416529.html (refered on 24.03.2017). [in Ukrainian].
  3. Yevstratova, S. (2012). The use of Russian in the media of Estonia, Journal “Slovo.ru: Baltijskij accent”, no. 2, p. 44-48. [in Russian].
  4. Mechkovskaya, N, (2011). Post-Soviet languages in conditions of state sovereignty and flourishing of information technologies, Journal the Belarusian State University, Vol. 4, no. 2, p. 75-82. [in Russian].
  5. Miller, R. (1984). 5 response of business firms to francization process, Conflict and language planning in Quebec, Clevedon, Avon, England : Multilingual Matters, p. 114-130.
  6. Uspadkovana dyskryminatsiia: nosii ukrainskoi movy prodovzhuiut zaznavaty utyskiv u vlasnii derzhavi [Inherited discrimination: Ukrainian language speakers continue to suffer oppression in their own country 2012]. (2012). Retrieved from // http://tyzhden.ua/Politics/51271 (refered on 24.03.2017). [in Ukrainian].
  7. Ponomarenko, L. (2014). The language of websites of Ukrainian segment of Internet: realities and prospects, Journal “The state and the regions” Series: Humanities, no 1-2 (36-37), p. 64-69. [in Ukrainian].
  8. Rozetka testuie ukrainsku versiiu saitu [Rozetka test Ukrainian version of website]. (2016). Retrieved from // http://watcher.com.ua/2016/ 10/27/rozetka-testuye-ukrayinsku-versiyu-saytu/ (refered on 24.03.2017) [in Ukrainian].
  9. Stanovyshche ukrainskoi movy v ukrainskomu sehmenti internetu. [The position of the Ukrainian language in the Ukrainian segment of the Internet 2016].(2016). Retrieved from // http://language-policy.info/2016/10/stanovysche-ukrajinskoji-movy-v-ukra... (refered on 24.03.2017) [in Ukrainian].
  10. Konsolidatsiia ukrainskoho suspilstva: shliakhy, vyklyky, perspektyvy [The identity of the citizens of Ukraine in the new environment: state, trends and regional differences]. (2016). Razumkov center, Informatsiino-analitychni materialy do fakhovoi dyskusii, 20-25. Retrieved from http://old. razumkov. org.ua/upload/Identi-2016.pdf . [in Ukrainian].
  11. Dyrektor Google Ukraina poiasnyv, shcho treba robyty, aby u poshukovyku ziavlialosia bilshe kontentu ukrainskoiu [Director of Google Ukraine explained what to do to make appear more Ukrainian content in search engines]. (2016). Retrieved from //http://language-policy.info/2016/ 09/dyrektor-google-ukrajina-poyasnyv-scho-treba-robyty-aby-u-poshukovyku-z-yavlyalosya-bilshe-kontentu-ukrajinskoyu/ (refered on 24.03.2017) [in Ukrainian].
  12. Mudra, I. (2013). Language as a tool of marketing in press. Journal of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv [Journal of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv], no 14, p. 102-107. [in Ukrainian].
  13. Ruda, O. G. (2014). Bilingualism of the media in estimates of future journalists. Ukrainian language: scientific and theoretical journal of Institute of Ukrainian language of National academy of science of Ukraine, no 3, p. 84-92. [in Ukrainian].
  14. Ukraintsi perekhotily druhu derzhavnu. [Ukrainians don’t wont second state language 2011] (2011). Retrieved from http://www.pravda. com.ua/news/ 2011/09/7/6567769/ // http://www.pravda. com.ua/news/2011/09/7/6567769/ (refered on 24.03.2017) [in Ukrainian].
  15. Shcho dumaiut ukraintsi pro vbyvstvo Borysa Niemtsova i boikot rosiiskykh tovariv? [What Ukrainians think about the murder of Borice Nemcov and boycott of Russian products?]. (2015). Retrieved from https://tns-ua.com/news/chto-dumayut-ukraintsyi-ob-ubiystve-borisa-nemts... Ukrainian]
  16. Ukraina skorotyla obsiah torhivli z Rosiieiu v 2,2 razy. [Ukraine reduced the volume of trade with Russian in 2,2 times]. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.epravda.com.ua/news/2015/10/2/56194 5/ [in Ukrainian].
  17. Reitynh ustoichyvosty bankov po ytoham 3 kvartala 2016. [The rating of banks stability by the results of Q3 2016]. (2016). Retrieved from http://minfin.com.ua/banks/rating/// http://minfin.com.ua/banks/rating/ (refered on 24.03.2017) [in Russian].
  18. Reitynh bankov Ukraynы za 9 mesiatsev 2016. [The rating of Ukrainian banks for 9 monthes of 2016].(2016). Retrieved from http://forinsurer. com/ratings/banks/16/9/3 (refered on 24.03.2017) [in Russian].