Documents on the Reform of Ukrainian Spelling in Vasyl Nimchuk’s Personal Fond

The article considers little-known and previously inaccessible archival documents on the reform of Ukrainian spelling from the personal fond of the corresponding member of the NAS of Ukraine, Doctor of Philology Vasyl Vasyliovych Nimchuk (1933–2017), stored at the Institute of Archival Studies of V I Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine. The purpose of the study is to analyze V. Nimchuk's opinion on the reform of Ukrainian spelling in the 1990s, highlight the positions of like-minded people and opponents, recreate the course of events in preparation for this reform and reveal the role of the Ukrainian National Spelling Commission. The research methodology is based on methodological principles related to the general scientifi c principles of analysis and synthesis, historicism, scientifi c objectivity, systematic and interdisciplinary approaches. The study of archival documents was based on archival heuristics, archeographic methods, as well as historical criticism of sources. During the consideration of the materials of V. Nimchuk's personal fond, special methods of historical-biographical and historical-social research were used, which made it possible to study archival sources on the problem. Scientifi c novelty. The documents on the reform of Ukrainian spelling from the personal archival fond of linguist V. Nimchuk were put into scientifi c circulation for the fi rst time. Conclusions. The analyzed archival documents on the draft Ukrainian spelling of 1999 signifi cantly supplement the information on the scientifi c, organizational and public activities of V. Nimchuk in his preparation. Epistolary documents deposited in the personal archives of the scholar reveal the peculiarities of discussions in Ukrainian society around spelling reform. V. Nimchuk's archival heritage is an important source base for studying the role of scientists, other linguists and scientifi c institutions in preparing the reform of Ukrainian spelling in the 1990s. Prospects for further studies. The considered documents showed a signifi cant source and information potential of the archival heritage of the scientist, which will contribute to further research of his scientifi c work by historians and linguists.