Swedish language institute updates spelling for Ukrainian place names

The Institute for Language and Folklore (Isof) has issued new spelling recommendations for several Ukrainian place names in Swedish. The changes include transitioning from Kiev to Kyjiv, Odessa to Odesa, Tjernobyl to Tjornobyl, and Donbass to Donbas.

Language expert Ola Karlsson noted that these updates aim to align translations from Cyrillic more accurately with linguistic rules. The shift addresses long-standing exceptions dating back to the 1700s. The decision also responds to ongoing criticism from Ukraine, which views the spelling ‘Kiev’ as a Russian-influenced pronunciation.

While public broadcasters SVT and SR plan to adopt the new recommendations, other major outlets like the news agency TT and various commercial media remain cautious. This divergence means multiple spellings of these locations will likely coexist in Swedish usage for some time.