Category
Topic
Year
Finno-Ugric peoples facing new challenges
Keywords: Finno-Ugric minorities, national politics, Finno-Ugric cooperation
Despite the continuing decline of the already small numbers of the Finno-Ugric peoples of the Russian Federation, the government makes efforts to prevent the development of education in their ethnic languages and teaching those languages. The few attempts of the Finno-Ugrians to stand up for their rights are dealt with as manifestations of separatism against the Russian state.
What is particularly repugnant to the Russian authorities is Finno-Ugric cooperation, which brings along distancing from the influence of Russian culture and a weakening of integration into the society meant to bear a Russian identity. Moreover, the…
Despite the continuing decline of the already small numbers of the Finno-Ugric peoples of the Russian Federation, the government makes efforts to prevent the development of education in their ethnic languages and teaching those languages. The few attempts of the Finno-Ugrians to stand up for their rights are dealt with as manifestations of separatism against the Russian state.
What is particularly repugnant to the Russian authorities is Finno-Ugric cooperation, which brings along distancing from the influence of Russian culture and a weakening of integration into the society meant to bear a Russian identity. Moreover, the…
On the concepts of indigenous people and indigenous language in Estonia and in international context
Keywords: indigenous peoples, terms, language planning
In recent years, opinions have been divided over the meaning of the term põlisrahvas ’indigenous people’. The article compares some foreign counterparts of the term, particularly those used in the UN official languages. As it turns out, the Estonian word has two meanings in the least, while international law interprets the word differently from general Estonian. In order to avoid future misunderstandings, Estonia should adopt a special term for use in international law. In my opinion the hitherto synonymous pärisrahvas could do nicely. Also, the term päriskeel could be introduced to replace põliskeel in the…
In recent years, opinions have been divided over the meaning of the term põlisrahvas ’indigenous people’. The article compares some foreign counterparts of the term, particularly those used in the UN official languages. As it turns out, the Estonian word has two meanings in the least, while international law interprets the word differently from general Estonian. In order to avoid future misunderstandings, Estonia should adopt a special term for use in international law. In my opinion the hitherto synonymous pärisrahvas could do nicely. Also, the term päriskeel could be introduced to replace põliskeel in the…
Which language to use?
Keywords: multilingual users, multilingual university, higher education language policy, Estonian, English
In recent decades, the domination of English in higher education has triggered many language policy reactions from governments, universities, and language users. This paper examines the principles underlying the language choices of students and academic workers at a multilingual university to illuminate how top-down language policies could be developed to sustain the use of the local language. The study has been carried out at the University of Tartu, where Estonian and English are the dominant languages. The use of both is institutionally supported by the university and the state, although…
In recent decades, the domination of English in higher education has triggered many language policy reactions from governments, universities, and language users. This paper examines the principles underlying the language choices of students and academic workers at a multilingual university to illuminate how top-down language policies could be developed to sustain the use of the local language. The study has been carried out at the University of Tartu, where Estonian and English are the dominant languages. The use of both is institutionally supported by the university and the state, although…
Estonian dialect primers
Keywords: Estonian language, dialects, primers, ethnofuturism, chronotope, idyll
In recent decades publication of primers in local dialects has flourished in Estonia. The reasons for this process are related to the availability of financial support shemes for advancing regional culture as well as to identity creation on a more specific (local) level than just national identity. There are nine dialect primers issued in Estonia in 1998–2021. The initial inspiration for compiling such books comes from the ethnofuturist movement, but the reasons for publishing efforts are multiple, mostly related to the felt need of promoting local identity. The article describes the primers…
In recent decades publication of primers in local dialects has flourished in Estonia. The reasons for this process are related to the availability of financial support shemes for advancing regional culture as well as to identity creation on a more specific (local) level than just national identity. There are nine dialect primers issued in Estonia in 1998–2021. The initial inspiration for compiling such books comes from the ethnofuturist movement, but the reasons for publishing efforts are multiple, mostly related to the felt need of promoting local identity. The article describes the primers…
Multilingualism in Estonian poetry
Keywords: multilingualism, exophony, macaronic poetry, Estonian poetry, language contacts in literature, multilingual literary field
Apart from Estonian, some other language – from local dialects to major languages such as German and Russian – has usually been spoken in parallel on the Estonian territory. As a result, the literary culture of the local (small) language came to evolve in dense contact with some foreign literatures and cultures. However, there is still no thorough analysis of how the historical change in the linguistic situation manifests itself in Estonian literature. The aim of our article is to draw attention to the multilingual nature of…
Apart from Estonian, some other language – from local dialects to major languages such as German and Russian – has usually been spoken in parallel on the Estonian territory. As a result, the literary culture of the local (small) language came to evolve in dense contact with some foreign literatures and cultures. However, there is still no thorough analysis of how the historical change in the linguistic situation manifests itself in Estonian literature. The aim of our article is to draw attention to the multilingual nature of…
The realm of the improbable
Keyword: literature in Irish, minoritized languages, minority literatures, translation
This paper uses modern and contemporary literature in the Irish language to reflect on the creative potential of small or lesser-used languages. The paper gives a brief overview of the current status of the Irish language in Ireland and traces the major literary developments since independence. Despite its minoritized and endangered status, Irish continues to function as a vital literary medium, thus manifesting a creative and intellectual resistance to the forces of assimilation and homogenization. Drawing on some recent Estonian connections, attention is given to the importance of translation and cross-cultural dialogue…
This paper uses modern and contemporary literature in the Irish language to reflect on the creative potential of small or lesser-used languages. The paper gives a brief overview of the current status of the Irish language in Ireland and traces the major literary developments since independence. Despite its minoritized and endangered status, Irish continues to function as a vital literary medium, thus manifesting a creative and intellectual resistance to the forces of assimilation and homogenization. Drawing on some recent Estonian connections, attention is given to the importance of translation and cross-cultural dialogue…
Aspects of Meänkieli from a grammaticographical perspective
Keywords: Meänkieli, minority language, grammaticography, language contact
Meänkieli is a Finnic language belonging to the Uralic language family. It is spoken in Sweden, where since 2000 it has had the status of an official minority language. Its estimates of the number of speakers range from 20 000 to 75 000. It is closely related to Finnish, and there is a great deal of mutual intelligibility between the two, although Finnish speakers may find it difficult to understand Meänkieli as it has many loanwords and constructions borrowed from Swedish, whilst for Meänkieli speakers Finnish comprehension may be hampered by colloquial Finnish and its standardization,…
Meänkieli is a Finnic language belonging to the Uralic language family. It is spoken in Sweden, where since 2000 it has had the status of an official minority language. Its estimates of the number of speakers range from 20 000 to 75 000. It is closely related to Finnish, and there is a great deal of mutual intelligibility between the two, although Finnish speakers may find it difficult to understand Meänkieli as it has many loanwords and constructions borrowed from Swedish, whilst for Meänkieli speakers Finnish comprehension may be hampered by colloquial Finnish and its standardization,…
The Kolvitsa dialect of Karelian
Keywords: endangered languages, linguistic variation, mixed dialects, idiolects, Karelian language, Kola peninsula
Our research question is whether the remarkable morphological diversity observed in dying Finnic languages occurs just on community level, or is it also characteristic of the usage of a single speaker. To answer this question we take a closer look at idiolect variation in a hitherto unexplored variety of Karelian, namely, the Kolvitsa dialect spoken in the Kola peninsula. Examining lexical, morphophonological and morphological variation we focus on the possible reasons behind the use of parallel forms. We observe that lexical variation is often conditioned by dialect geography,…
Our research question is whether the remarkable morphological diversity observed in dying Finnic languages occurs just on community level, or is it also characteristic of the usage of a single speaker. To answer this question we take a closer look at idiolect variation in a hitherto unexplored variety of Karelian, namely, the Kolvitsa dialect spoken in the Kola peninsula. Examining lexical, morphophonological and morphological variation we focus on the possible reasons behind the use of parallel forms. We observe that lexical variation is often conditioned by dialect geography,…
There is no such thing as a small language
Keywords: natural languages, pidgins, (re)constructed languages, language complexity, language decay
In this article it is discussed what the notion small language apart from its designation of a language with a small community of speakers may actually mean. A natural human language, which functions as a full-fledged means of communication, is never small. A language may have a comparatively small phoneme or case system, but the entirety of that language cannot be called small. However, reduction due to language decay, or restriction to certain functions as in case of pidgins, or incompleteness in case of constructed or reconstructed languages may indeed produce…
In this article it is discussed what the notion small language apart from its designation of a language with a small community of speakers may actually mean. A natural human language, which functions as a full-fledged means of communication, is never small. A language may have a comparatively small phoneme or case system, but the entirety of that language cannot be called small. However, reduction due to language decay, or restriction to certain functions as in case of pidgins, or incompleteness in case of constructed or reconstructed languages may indeed produce…
The playground for Estonian in the early modern times
Keywords: language history, literary language, sublanguages
The article discusses the uses and opportunities of the Estonian language in the early modern times, focusing on the 17th and early 18th century. In the 18th century the Estonian territory was subjected to violent Christianisation by conquerors whose native language was German. The local elite was formed of native speakers of German (and in the 17th century, when the area was part of the Swedish Kingdom) also of native speakers of Swedish. The bearers of the traditional Estonian culture fell into the lowest social stratum. For centuries following the Reformation the Estonian literary language…
The article discusses the uses and opportunities of the Estonian language in the early modern times, focusing on the 17th and early 18th century. In the 18th century the Estonian territory was subjected to violent Christianisation by conquerors whose native language was German. The local elite was formed of native speakers of German (and in the 17th century, when the area was part of the Swedish Kingdom) also of native speakers of Swedish. The bearers of the traditional Estonian culture fell into the lowest social stratum. For centuries following the Reformation the Estonian literary language…
Language and history
Keywords: language of history, Estonian terminology, cultural translation
This essay aims to discuss some aspects of the language used in the study of history. Similarly to other disciplines, historical research makes use of a specialized language. Writing about the past requires a distinctive style and specific genres. Widespread arguments identify historical writing with the narrative form, and thus attempt to equate historical text with literary artifact (White 1992). This general opinion, however, overlooks the specific features of historical texts, such as lexical and grammatical structures, inherent vocabulary, and academic conventions. The common language of history has points of contact with neighbouring…
This essay aims to discuss some aspects of the language used in the study of history. Similarly to other disciplines, historical research makes use of a specialized language. Writing about the past requires a distinctive style and specific genres. Widespread arguments identify historical writing with the narrative form, and thus attempt to equate historical text with literary artifact (White 1992). This general opinion, however, overlooks the specific features of historical texts, such as lexical and grammatical structures, inherent vocabulary, and academic conventions. The common language of history has points of contact with neighbouring…
Glocal Estonia?
Keywords: Baltic provinces, nation-building, Russian empire, glocality, transnational history, historiography
This article seeks to understand what a “glocal” approach to local history might add to the story of Estonia’s past. One of the aims in introducing the concept glocal into the social sciences and later also the humanities was to re-assess the duality of global and local processes which are seen as mutually constituent concepts (Victor Roudometof). In other words, a glocal approach deals with tendencies toward homogeneity and centralization that appear alongside tendencies toward heterogeneity and decentralization. As indicated in the article, this parallelism of directions can be observed in…
This article seeks to understand what a “glocal” approach to local history might add to the story of Estonia’s past. One of the aims in introducing the concept glocal into the social sciences and later also the humanities was to re-assess the duality of global and local processes which are seen as mutually constituent concepts (Victor Roudometof). In other words, a glocal approach deals with tendencies toward homogeneity and centralization that appear alongside tendencies toward heterogeneity and decentralization. As indicated in the article, this parallelism of directions can be observed in…
Who or what was Jörru?
Keywords: lexical history, etymology, language contacts, Low German loanwords, C. Kelch, J. G. Herder, old written Estonian, Estonian folk song
In 1695 Christian Kelch, the then pastor of Järva-Jaani, published his chronicle “Liefländische Historia”, which also contained an Estonian folk song titled “Jörru, jörru”, with German translation. This was the first Estonian folk song to appear in print; owing to Johann Gottfried von Herder it became known even more widely. Despite repeated analysis of the text, the meaning of jörru has remained a mystery to this day. In Herder’s “Volkslieder” there is a note explainig Jörru as the male name Georg. This interpretation has…
In 1695 Christian Kelch, the then pastor of Järva-Jaani, published his chronicle “Liefländische Historia”, which also contained an Estonian folk song titled “Jörru, jörru”, with German translation. This was the first Estonian folk song to appear in print; owing to Johann Gottfried von Herder it became known even more widely. Despite repeated analysis of the text, the meaning of jörru has remained a mystery to this day. In Herder’s “Volkslieder” there is a note explainig Jörru as the male name Georg. This interpretation has…
Conceptual metaphors of time in Estonian
Keywords: time expressions, conceptual metaphors, Estonian
The article explores how time is referred to in Estonian. More specifically, being based on the theory of conceptual metaphors (Lakoff, Johnson 1980) the study is focused on which conceptual metaphors are used when speaking of time (aeg) in Estonian. Previously some attention has been given to Estonian metaphors from space to time, but there is still no survey of time metaphors. The research data come from a random sample of a thousand sentences with the word aeg ‘time’, all drawn from the Balanced Corpus of Estonian. The corpus data are supplemented with a Sketch…
The article explores how time is referred to in Estonian. More specifically, being based on the theory of conceptual metaphors (Lakoff, Johnson 1980) the study is focused on which conceptual metaphors are used when speaking of time (aeg) in Estonian. Previously some attention has been given to Estonian metaphors from space to time, but there is still no survey of time metaphors. The research data come from a random sample of a thousand sentences with the word aeg ‘time’, all drawn from the Balanced Corpus of Estonian. The corpus data are supplemented with a Sketch…
How to read a blurb?
Keywords: blurb, techniques of influence, structure, genre, genre analysis, fiction
When a book enters the market, its first task is to attract the reader’s attention immediately, taking effect in but a few moments. Therefore publishers usually attach special attention to cover texts. From the publisher’s point of view, the blurb is part of marketing – it works like consumer advertising, which lures the reader’s eye and gives the necessary confidence to make a decision. This is why any paper book can be seen as a luxury item requiring sophisticated advertising techniques, including attention given to the blurb content as a special…
When a book enters the market, its first task is to attract the reader’s attention immediately, taking effect in but a few moments. Therefore publishers usually attach special attention to cover texts. From the publisher’s point of view, the blurb is part of marketing – it works like consumer advertising, which lures the reader’s eye and gives the necessary confidence to make a decision. This is why any paper book can be seen as a luxury item requiring sophisticated advertising techniques, including attention given to the blurb content as a special…
Searching for Kungla
Keywords: folklore, Matthias Johann Eisen, Kalevipoeg, Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald, Friedrich Kuhlbars, Kungla, fairytale, mythology, runosong
The place name Kungla has become known in Estonia due to Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald’s (1803–1882) records of folklore and his own folklore-based works. In Kreutzwald’s writings it designates a mysterious ancient land of plenty or a place where people once used to live in peace and happiness. The toponym Kungla can be found in his records of folklore that he forwarded to A. H. Neus, in the epic Kalevipoeg that he created on the basis of runosongs and folktales, and in his literary fairy tales. The…
The place name Kungla has become known in Estonia due to Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald’s (1803–1882) records of folklore and his own folklore-based works. In Kreutzwald’s writings it designates a mysterious ancient land of plenty or a place where people once used to live in peace and happiness. The toponym Kungla can be found in his records of folklore that he forwarded to A. H. Neus, in the epic Kalevipoeg that he created on the basis of runosongs and folktales, and in his literary fairy tales. The…