Category
Topic
Year
Marking palatalization
Keywords: Estonian orthography, palatalization, historical sociolinguistics, Otto Wilhelm Masing, 19th century, document analysis
Palatalization is not indicated in standard Estonian orthography. In the 1820s, Otto Wilhelm Masing proposed marking palatalization with a small dot placed beneath the vowel preceding the palatalized consonant. This article examines the extent to which Masing’s proposal was adopted and explores the reasons why the palatalization mark ultimately failed to become part of standard written Estonian. Masing also introduced the letter õ to distinguish between the sounds ö /ø/ and õ /ɤ/ in writing. That innovation was successful, even though – much like palatalization – õ…
Palatalization is not indicated in standard Estonian orthography. In the 1820s, Otto Wilhelm Masing proposed marking palatalization with a small dot placed beneath the vowel preceding the palatalized consonant. This article examines the extent to which Masing’s proposal was adopted and explores the reasons why the palatalization mark ultimately failed to become part of standard written Estonian. Masing also introduced the letter õ to distinguish between the sounds ö /ø/ and õ /ɤ/ in writing. That innovation was successful, even though – much like palatalization – õ…
The Estonian language in 18th-century parish registers
Keywords: historical sociolinguistics, administrative language, parish registers
Since the second half of the 17th century, parish registers served as administrative documents in which local pastors recorded the births, marriages, and deaths of congregation members. The matrix language of the registers was German. However, the names of peasants were entered following the Estonian model (byname + given name). In some registers, Estonian was also used systematically for additional information concerning individuals from lower social strata. This article investigates how the use of Estonian in parish registers evolved over time, whether there were specific geographic areas where Estonian was used more consistently, and…
Since the second half of the 17th century, parish registers served as administrative documents in which local pastors recorded the births, marriages, and deaths of congregation members. The matrix language of the registers was German. However, the names of peasants were entered following the Estonian model (byname + given name). In some registers, Estonian was also used systematically for additional information concerning individuals from lower social strata. This article investigates how the use of Estonian in parish registers evolved over time, whether there were specific geographic areas where Estonian was used more consistently, and…
Written Finnish: Genuine vernacular or something completely different?
Keywords: written Finnish, history, language policy, colonial language
The first Estonian book was printed 500 years ago; no copies of the book have survived. The history of publishing in Finnish dates to 1543, with Mikael Agricola’s Abc-book. Agricola went on to publish eight additional works. This development was driven by the Lutheran Reformation on both sides of the Gulf of Finland. This article discusses the reasons why the paths of development diverged so markedly between the sister languages Finnish and Estonian.
Finland was part of Sweden, but remained geographically distinct. A Swedish-speaking population lived along the coast, but these were ordinary peasants…
The first Estonian book was printed 500 years ago; no copies of the book have survived. The history of publishing in Finnish dates to 1543, with Mikael Agricola’s Abc-book. Agricola went on to publish eight additional works. This development was driven by the Lutheran Reformation on both sides of the Gulf of Finland. This article discusses the reasons why the paths of development diverged so markedly between the sister languages Finnish and Estonian.
Finland was part of Sweden, but remained geographically distinct. A Swedish-speaking population lived along the coast, but these were ordinary peasants…
Using corpus data to support lexicographers in identifying informal language
Keywords: corpus query system, lexicography, registers, labels, informal language
This study examines how new corpus analysis tools can assist lexicographers in determining whether to assign a word an informal register label in a dictionary. Labelling words in dictionaries is necessary for language users seeking register information. Moreover, there have been calls for the upcoming Dictionary of Standard Estonian (DSE, 2025) to clearly distinguish standard language from other linguistic varieties.
Informal language was chosen for analysis because it is more difficult to define than other marked registers. In DSE 2018, some words were labelled as informal based on language planning decisions rather than…
This study examines how new corpus analysis tools can assist lexicographers in determining whether to assign a word an informal register label in a dictionary. Labelling words in dictionaries is necessary for language users seeking register information. Moreover, there have been calls for the upcoming Dictionary of Standard Estonian (DSE, 2025) to clearly distinguish standard language from other linguistic varieties.
Informal language was chosen for analysis because it is more difficult to define than other marked registers. In DSE 2018, some words were labelled as informal based on language planning decisions rather than…
Other-initiated repair in the phone calls of the TV series Õnne 13
Keywords: film dialogue, telephone conversation, repair organization, Estonian
This paper analyzes phone calls from the Estonian television series Õnne 13 (“Happiness Street 13”) using the methodological framework of conversation analysis. The dataset consists of 60 everyday phone calls from various seasons (1994–2024). A defining characteristic of these calls is their one-sidedness, with one participant simulating a dialogue. By applying the core analytical technique of conversation analysis – the next-turn proof procedure – it is possible to reconstruct the missing turns of the interlocutor based on how the speaker interprets the previous turn.
In film discourse, the model includes not only the ratified…
This paper analyzes phone calls from the Estonian television series Õnne 13 (“Happiness Street 13”) using the methodological framework of conversation analysis. The dataset consists of 60 everyday phone calls from various seasons (1994–2024). A defining characteristic of these calls is their one-sidedness, with one participant simulating a dialogue. By applying the core analytical technique of conversation analysis – the next-turn proof procedure – it is possible to reconstruct the missing turns of the interlocutor based on how the speaker interprets the previous turn.
In film discourse, the model includes not only the ratified…
The any-spaces-whatever of Mehis Heinsaar
Keywords: Gilles Deleuze, any-space-whatever, body without organs, Mehis Heinsaar, contemporary Estonian literature
The works of Mehis Heinsaar have seldom been examined through the philosophical or theoretical frameworks prevalent in Western humanities and social sciences. One notable exception is the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze, for whom Heinsaar seems to have a particular affinity: Deleuze’s ideas have been repeatedly employed in interpreting Heinsaar’s works, and the author himself has expressed interest in them. However, previous engagements with Deleuze’s philosophy have primarily drawn on the concepts of desiring-machines and rhizomes, as introduced in Kafka by Deleuze and Guattari – concepts that are well suited…
The works of Mehis Heinsaar have seldom been examined through the philosophical or theoretical frameworks prevalent in Western humanities and social sciences. One notable exception is the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze, for whom Heinsaar seems to have a particular affinity: Deleuze’s ideas have been repeatedly employed in interpreting Heinsaar’s works, and the author himself has expressed interest in them. However, previous engagements with Deleuze’s philosophy have primarily drawn on the concepts of desiring-machines and rhizomes, as introduced in Kafka by Deleuze and Guattari – concepts that are well suited…
“I have spoken!”
Keywords: intellectual history, early modern orations, University of Tartu, Neo-Latin in academia
This article introduces the genre of orations, or academic speeches, at the University of Tartu during the early modern period (1632–1710) and examines their role as a central literary, pedagogical, social, and performative practice in university life. The Tartu oration corpus consists of approximately 230 printed texts, mostly in Latin, authored by both students and other members of the academic community. These speeches were composed on a wide range of topics, and for various purposes and occasions. Alongside a description of the corpus based on bibliographic metadata and a…
This article introduces the genre of orations, or academic speeches, at the University of Tartu during the early modern period (1632–1710) and examines their role as a central literary, pedagogical, social, and performative practice in university life. The Tartu oration corpus consists of approximately 230 printed texts, mostly in Latin, authored by both students and other members of the academic community. These speeches were composed on a wide range of topics, and for various purposes and occasions. Alongside a description of the corpus based on bibliographic metadata and a…
Juhan Liiv’s poetry and its relationship with literary tradition
Keywords: Juhan Liiv, poetry, literary relations, literary translation, world literature
This article explores the relationship between Juhan Liiv’s poetry and the literary traditions of both Estonian and world poetry in his time. It focuses on Liiv’s early work, during which his distinctive poetic style emerged. While previous research in Estonian literary studies has identified certain aesthetic influences on Liiv, the prevailing view has held that his writing style developed largely in isolation from literary tradition. I compiled all previous observations on Liiv’s influences, connected and expanded upon these findings, and concluded that: (1) Liiv’s development as a poet took place within…
This article explores the relationship between Juhan Liiv’s poetry and the literary traditions of both Estonian and world poetry in his time. It focuses on Liiv’s early work, during which his distinctive poetic style emerged. While previous research in Estonian literary studies has identified certain aesthetic influences on Liiv, the prevailing view has held that his writing style developed largely in isolation from literary tradition. I compiled all previous observations on Liiv’s influences, connected and expanded upon these findings, and concluded that: (1) Liiv’s development as a poet took place within…
Variation of the diminutive suffix -kEnE in Estonian runic songs
Keywords: linguistics, folkloristics, runic songs, suffixes
This article investigates the variation of the diminutive suffix –kEnE in Estonian runic songs (regilaulud), comparing its usage to that in contemporary Estonian dialects. The study employs variationist linguistic methods to analyze the frequency and forms of diminutive usage in the runic song corpus, with particular attention to geographic and verse-contextual distribution of the suffix. The study focuses on the definition and functions of diminutives in runic songs, as well as their usage patterns. The research combines frequency analysis with qualitative examination of the most common examples. One key finding is that the proportion of…
This article investigates the variation of the diminutive suffix –kEnE in Estonian runic songs (regilaulud), comparing its usage to that in contemporary Estonian dialects. The study employs variationist linguistic methods to analyze the frequency and forms of diminutive usage in the runic song corpus, with particular attention to geographic and verse-contextual distribution of the suffix. The study focuses on the definition and functions of diminutives in runic songs, as well as their usage patterns. The research combines frequency analysis with qualitative examination of the most common examples. One key finding is that the proportion of…