LANGUAGE CONSTRUCTION OF NATIONAL IDENTITY IN THE INTERNET DISCOURSE: "WHO ARE THE RUSINS AND WHAT LANGUAGE IS RUSINIAN LIKE?"

On the basis of the analysis of Internet discourse, the article investigates the features of the linguistic construction of national identity of Rusins in relation to the three variants of self-determination: Russian, Ukrainian and Rusinian. The aggravation of Russian-Ukrainian relations, which occurred as a result of the events in 2014, stimulated a communicative network activity, the study of which could be a key to the current state of public opinion regarding the identification and self-identification of Rusins. Ethnonym Rusins in different contexts reflects polar ethnic identity statuses. Rusins consider themselves as: 1) an independent ethnic group, not a Ukrainian identity; 2) a part of the Ukrainian ethnicity; 3) a part of the Russian ethnicity; 4) true Russians not identical to modern Russians, believing their language and culture more ancient, primordial. The complex and ambiguous metalinguistic reflection mainly focuses on the issue of "detuning" from closely related languages and cultures. The topic of Rusin ethnic identity is discussed in the context of sharp polemics of Russians and Ukrainians, which is explicated in the leitmotifs of independence and the Russian world. Rusins' statements about ethnicity are a means to demonstrate, in particular, the social and political position. The process of formation of national consciousness focuses in the senses of opposition to ethnic integration and globalization, the desire to create linguistic and cultural core of ethnicity, "detuning" from the power poles -Russian and Ukrainian.