West Polesian

West Polesian (захыднёполіськая мова, zakhydnyopolis'kaya mova[citation needed]) is the East Slavic dialect group (or variety) spoken in southwestern Belarus, in northwestern Ukraine and adjoining regions of Poland.

Attempts were made in the 1990s by Nikolai Shelyagovich to develop a standard written language,[1] although his efforts received almost no support and the campaign eventually ceased.

[2] In particular, writer Nil Hilevich and some others spoke against Shelyagovich, claiming that he represented a threat to the national integrity of Belarus, and labelled "Yotvingian separatism".

Then the social and cultural association "Polisse" (Полісьсе) was created and the development of a written norm of a special Polesian ("Yotvingian" in the terminology of Shelyagovich and his supporters) language began.

Belarusian dialectologist Fyodar Klimchuk [be] recorded spoken texts and wrote translations in the dialect of the author's native village (Simanavichy, Drahichyn District [be]).