Category
Topic
Year
Estonian tanka
Keywords: Estonian poetry, tanka, classical form, extended themes, quasi-tanka.
The primary aim is to provide an overview of the evolution of the Estonian tanka genre, to delineate the requirements of its classical form and style, and to analyze its proliferation within Estonian literature. Tanka poems have been published since 1917, with their prevalence expanding notably in the 1960s and persisting to the present day. A total of 76 tankas writers have contributed 1296 tankas to the collection. In addition, there are 34 student authors featured in school almanacs. It is noteworthy that this poetic form has attracted a diverse range of…
The primary aim is to provide an overview of the evolution of the Estonian tanka genre, to delineate the requirements of its classical form and style, and to analyze its proliferation within Estonian literature. Tanka poems have been published since 1917, with their prevalence expanding notably in the 1960s and persisting to the present day. A total of 76 tankas writers have contributed 1296 tankas to the collection. In addition, there are 34 student authors featured in school almanacs. It is noteworthy that this poetic form has attracted a diverse range of…
Vanakooli (‘old-school’)
Keywords: linguistics, compound word, phrase, defective adjective, orthography, word formation
The modifying compound word vanakooli (‘old-school’), frequently used in informal speech as a variant of the phrase vana kooli, exemplifies a linguistic phenomenon where certain noun-based phrases tend to form compound words. Adjectives, pronouns, numerals, and adpositions can merge with the following noun, resulting in compounds such as vanakooli (‘old-school’), vabaaja (‘leisure-time’), sellesuve (‘this summer’s’), kaheinimese (‘two-people’), üleõla (‘over-the-shoulder’), and ümbernurga (‘around the corner’). The prevalence of compound words increases as the expression gains popularity. In orthography and word formation, the potential of phrases with distinct meanings to form three-part compounds…
The modifying compound word vanakooli (‘old-school’), frequently used in informal speech as a variant of the phrase vana kooli, exemplifies a linguistic phenomenon where certain noun-based phrases tend to form compound words. Adjectives, pronouns, numerals, and adpositions can merge with the following noun, resulting in compounds such as vanakooli (‘old-school’), vabaaja (‘leisure-time’), sellesuve (‘this summer’s’), kaheinimese (‘two-people’), üleõla (‘over-the-shoulder’), and ümbernurga (‘around the corner’). The prevalence of compound words increases as the expression gains popularity. In orthography and word formation, the potential of phrases with distinct meanings to form three-part compounds…
Botany at the Swedish University of Tartu on the example of the disputation „De plantis” (1647) by Johannes Erici and Andreas Arvidi
Keywords: early modern botany, natural sciences in early modern era, the Swedish University of Tartu, early modern disputations, plants in the early modern era.
Although botany was not taught as an independent subject at the Swedish University of Tartu, plants were addressed within the context of medical studies. Professors of medicine were required to teach natural sciences on the basis of Johannes Magirus’ (?–1596) textbook “Physiologia peripatetica ex Aristotele”.
At other Swedish Universities of the 17th century, at Uppsala and Turku, the first botanical treatises were written by professors of medicine, who also spearheaded the establishment of the first botanical gardens. In Tartu…
Although botany was not taught as an independent subject at the Swedish University of Tartu, plants were addressed within the context of medical studies. Professors of medicine were required to teach natural sciences on the basis of Johannes Magirus’ (?–1596) textbook “Physiologia peripatetica ex Aristotele”.
At other Swedish Universities of the 17th century, at Uppsala and Turku, the first botanical treatises were written by professors of medicine, who also spearheaded the establishment of the first botanical gardens. In Tartu…
The massacre on Lake Liepāja
Keywords: history, history of literature, memory studies, Baltic German literature, Estonian literature
Renowned Estonian novelist Karl Ristikivi published a gothic short story titled Luigelaul (“Swansong”) in 1968, drawing inspiration from a true event from the Baltic Middle Ages. In 1428, Goswin von Aschenberg, a Vogt of the Teutonic Order stationed at Grobiņa Castle in the south-western corner of present-day Latvia, perpetrated the murder of Livonian bishops’ envoys en route to Rome to denounce the Order’s tyranny. The precise source of Ristikivi’s inspiration remains obscure. This article endeavours to trace the massacre on Lake Liepāja as a motif in Baltic German and…
Renowned Estonian novelist Karl Ristikivi published a gothic short story titled Luigelaul (“Swansong”) in 1968, drawing inspiration from a true event from the Baltic Middle Ages. In 1428, Goswin von Aschenberg, a Vogt of the Teutonic Order stationed at Grobiņa Castle in the south-western corner of present-day Latvia, perpetrated the murder of Livonian bishops’ envoys en route to Rome to denounce the Order’s tyranny. The precise source of Ristikivi’s inspiration remains obscure. This article endeavours to trace the massacre on Lake Liepāja as a motif in Baltic German and…
Perceptions of the word kväär ‘queer’ among the Estonian LGBT community
Keywords: linguistics, LGBT studies, queer theory, queer linguistics, corpus linguistics, vocabulary, Estonian language
This article explores the linguistic representations and perceptions of the words queer and kväär within the Estonian LGBT community. The study delves into the evolution of LGBT vocabulary in Estonian, focusing on how kväär, the equivalent of the English queer, is perceived and used.
Using corpus analysis and an online survey among the LGBT community, the research reveals nuanced attitudes toward kväär in Estonia. The corpus data shows shifts in usage frequencies of LGBT related words that reflect societal debates. The word kväär is multifaceted, used in various contexts,…
This article explores the linguistic representations and perceptions of the words queer and kväär within the Estonian LGBT community. The study delves into the evolution of LGBT vocabulary in Estonian, focusing on how kväär, the equivalent of the English queer, is perceived and used.
Using corpus analysis and an online survey among the LGBT community, the research reveals nuanced attitudes toward kväär in Estonia. The corpus data shows shifts in usage frequencies of LGBT related words that reflect societal debates. The word kväär is multifaceted, used in various contexts,…
Variation of complex numerals in old written Estonian
Keywords: historical linguistics, numerals, numeral systems, overcounting, literacy
In the history of written Estonian, three patterns were used for number words ranging from 21 to 99. As a result, complex numerals varied considerably, e.g., the word 21 exhibited unit-before-ten order (üks peale kakskümmend ‘one upon twenty’), ten-before-unit order (kakskümmend peale üks ‘twenty upon one’ ~ kakskümmend ja üks ‘twenty and one’ ~ kakskümmend üks ‘twenty one’), and overcounting (üks kolmatkümmend ‘one from the third decade’ ~ üks kolmat ‘one from the third’). This variation has been studied through analysis of the earliest extant Estonian texts from the 16th to 19th centuries,…
In the history of written Estonian, three patterns were used for number words ranging from 21 to 99. As a result, complex numerals varied considerably, e.g., the word 21 exhibited unit-before-ten order (üks peale kakskümmend ‘one upon twenty’), ten-before-unit order (kakskümmend peale üks ‘twenty upon one’ ~ kakskümmend ja üks ‘twenty and one’ ~ kakskümmend üks ‘twenty one’), and overcounting (üks kolmatkümmend ‘one from the third decade’ ~ üks kolmat ‘one from the third’). This variation has been studied through analysis of the earliest extant Estonian texts from the 16th to 19th centuries,…
Magic in numbers and words
Keywords: literary criticism, arts and culture journalism, literary studies, modern literature, debate in criticism, young writers
This article provides an overview of Estonian literary criticism during 2022–2023.
The archetype that emerges from the articles of this period is that of a critic who exhibits varying degrees of doubt, a yearning for connection and engagement, as well as sharpness, acumen, and empathy. While criticism remains constructive and thought-provoking, there is a pertinent question about the necessity to redefine its core. In the realm of online publications, traditional literary criticism may require re-evaluation, with a potential need for a heightened attention to visuals…
This article provides an overview of Estonian literary criticism during 2022–2023.
The archetype that emerges from the articles of this period is that of a critic who exhibits varying degrees of doubt, a yearning for connection and engagement, as well as sharpness, acumen, and empathy. While criticism remains constructive and thought-provoking, there is a pertinent question about the necessity to redefine its core. In the realm of online publications, traditional literary criticism may require re-evaluation, with a potential need for a heightened attention to visuals…
Computational insights into the variation of Finnic folk songs
Keywords: folklore, oral poetry, runosong, digital humanities, Finnic languages, variation
The article introduces the joint Finnic runosong database and associated web environments and applications developed collaboratively by computer scientists and folklorists from Finland and Estonia. These tools facilitate new approaches to analyzing the extensive dataset. Within the research framework, various computational solutions have been devised in order to identify and associate with one another similar verses and texts that differ in orthography, language, and content. These methods have also been implemented in the web environment Runoregi (runoregi.rahtiapp.fi), allowing researchers and enthusiasts interested in traditional oral poetry to easily navigate the network…
The article introduces the joint Finnic runosong database and associated web environments and applications developed collaboratively by computer scientists and folklorists from Finland and Estonia. These tools facilitate new approaches to analyzing the extensive dataset. Within the research framework, various computational solutions have been devised in order to identify and associate with one another similar verses and texts that differ in orthography, language, and content. These methods have also been implemented in the web environment Runoregi (runoregi.rahtiapp.fi), allowing researchers and enthusiasts interested in traditional oral poetry to easily navigate the network…
The cosmogonic comb and the celestial swing
Keywords: folklore, Kalevala-metric song, mythology, cosmogonic myths, ritual swinging, seasonal festivities
This article explores the potential connections between the well-known Kalevala-metric Estonian, Karelian, and Ingrian folk song type “Searching for the Comb” and the magical aspects of swinging, supernatural entities traversing between earth and sky in swings or cradles, ancient solar symbols and customs tied to the yearly cycle, along with motifs linked to divination. Through an examination of swinging’s significance in more distant cultures, I demonstrate that: (a) ritual swinging could be linked to creation myths, travel between worlds, the struggle against malevolent forces, and rites of fertility magic; (b) mythical…
This article explores the potential connections between the well-known Kalevala-metric Estonian, Karelian, and Ingrian folk song type “Searching for the Comb” and the magical aspects of swinging, supernatural entities traversing between earth and sky in swings or cradles, ancient solar symbols and customs tied to the yearly cycle, along with motifs linked to divination. Through an examination of swinging’s significance in more distant cultures, I demonstrate that: (a) ritual swinging could be linked to creation myths, travel between worlds, the struggle against malevolent forces, and rites of fertility magic; (b) mythical…
Soviet Estonian decadence
Keywords: literary studies, Estonian literature of the 1980s, late socialism, decadence, fin de siècle, postmodernism, Alexandrianism
This essay explores the emergence and evolution of a literary and artistic trend in Soviet Estonia from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. During this period, young philologists, poets, artists and essayists re-discovered the decadence of the fin-de-siècle and its Estonian expressions as a significant source of inspiration. Generally, in the official Soviet jargon, ‘decadence’ was a highly derogatory term, used during Stalin’s rule to stigmatize all of Western bourgeois culture. Consequently, patriotic scholars, even in the face of easing circumstances, were hesitant to…
This essay explores the emergence and evolution of a literary and artistic trend in Soviet Estonia from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. During this period, young philologists, poets, artists and essayists re-discovered the decadence of the fin-de-siècle and its Estonian expressions as a significant source of inspiration. Generally, in the official Soviet jargon, ‘decadence’ was a highly derogatory term, used during Stalin’s rule to stigmatize all of Western bourgeois culture. Consequently, patriotic scholars, even in the face of easing circumstances, were hesitant to…
Decadence in the theatrical situation on the example of Oscar Wilde’s “Salomé”
Keywords: literary studies, French theatre, Jean-Paul Sartre, symbolism
The article stems from Jean-Paul Sartre’s concept of being in a situation, applied to examine two theatrical situations: the premiere of Oscar Wilde’s one-act tragedy “Salomé” in France, and the stage productions of the play in Estonia before and after World War II. The article demonstrates, in line with other studies, that in the French context, decadence mainly arises from the reluctance of bourgeois intellectuals to acknowledge their class membership and a yearning for the lifestyle of the aristocracy of the intellect, whereas in Estonia, (French) decadence is harnessed for cultural development and…
The article stems from Jean-Paul Sartre’s concept of being in a situation, applied to examine two theatrical situations: the premiere of Oscar Wilde’s one-act tragedy “Salomé” in France, and the stage productions of the play in Estonia before and after World War II. The article demonstrates, in line with other studies, that in the French context, decadence mainly arises from the reluctance of bourgeois intellectuals to acknowledge their class membership and a yearning for the lifestyle of the aristocracy of the intellect, whereas in Estonia, (French) decadence is harnessed for cultural development and…
Estonian decadent sonnet
Keywords: literary studies, decadence, sonnet, Estonian poetry, Johannes Aavik, Gustav Suits
Since the emergence of decadent literature, sonnets have played a significant role within its realm. Charles Baudelaire’s Les Fleurs du mal contains 72 sonnets in all. In the preface to the posthumous edition of 1868, Théophile Gautier describes Baudelaire’s style as decadent. Paul Verlaine’s seminal sonnet Langueur, published in 1883, opens with the well-known line: Je suis l’Empire à la fin de la décadence (“I am the Empire at the end of decadence”). This sonnet had an enormous impact on fin de siècle poetry, earning recognition as both the ars…
Since the emergence of decadent literature, sonnets have played a significant role within its realm. Charles Baudelaire’s Les Fleurs du mal contains 72 sonnets in all. In the preface to the posthumous edition of 1868, Théophile Gautier describes Baudelaire’s style as decadent. Paul Verlaine’s seminal sonnet Langueur, published in 1883, opens with the well-known line: Je suis l’Empire à la fin de la décadence (“I am the Empire at the end of decadence”). This sonnet had an enormous impact on fin de siècle poetry, earning recognition as both the ars…
On the aestheticist roots of the intellectual Left in the first half of the 20th century
Keywords: literary studies, aestheticism, avant-garde, Barbarus, Semper, leftism
This article explores how the works and activities of close intellectual companions Johannes Barbarus and Johannes Semper reconcile their alignment with a decadent and aestheticist artistic stance with their leftist views (leading to collaboration with Soviet power and the writing of propagandistic poetry). The discussion begins with Barbarus’ poem “Journey” (Teekond), where the individualistic poet contrasts with the “modern apes”, representing progressivist and calculating bourgeois modernity. The article delves into the internal ambivalence expressed in Barbarus’ poetry, revealing simultaneous attraction and repulsion towards large revolutionary crowds; the poet likely perceives the masses primarily…
This article explores how the works and activities of close intellectual companions Johannes Barbarus and Johannes Semper reconcile their alignment with a decadent and aestheticist artistic stance with their leftist views (leading to collaboration with Soviet power and the writing of propagandistic poetry). The discussion begins with Barbarus’ poem “Journey” (Teekond), where the individualistic poet contrasts with the “modern apes”, representing progressivist and calculating bourgeois modernity. The article delves into the internal ambivalence expressed in Barbarus’ poetry, revealing simultaneous attraction and repulsion towards large revolutionary crowds; the poet likely perceives the masses primarily…
Decadence and life
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Keywords: literary studies, “The Fly”, “Sacred Weed”, Nietzsche, Bergson, Baudelaire, affective and ambivalent decadent aesthetics
This article explores the profoundly affective and ambivalent aesthetics of decadence. The analysis focuses on two examples from the early prose of A. H. Tammsaare (1878–1940) and Johannes Semper (1892–1970): “The Fly” (Kärbes, 1917) and “Sacred Weed” (Püha umbrohi, 1918). These works are viewed within the broader context of the authors’ entire body of work. The decadent aesthetics of Tammsaare’s and Semper’s works derive from Nietzschean and Bergsonian notions of decadence and life. The article illustrates the contrasts and similarities between these two notions, with…
Keywords: literary studies, “The Fly”, “Sacred Weed”, Nietzsche, Bergson, Baudelaire, affective and ambivalent decadent aesthetics
This article explores the profoundly affective and ambivalent aesthetics of decadence. The analysis focuses on two examples from the early prose of A. H. Tammsaare (1878–1940) and Johannes Semper (1892–1970): “The Fly” (Kärbes, 1917) and “Sacred Weed” (Püha umbrohi, 1918). These works are viewed within the broader context of the authors’ entire body of work. The decadent aesthetics of Tammsaare’s and Semper’s works derive from Nietzschean and Bergsonian notions of decadence and life. The article illustrates the contrasts and similarities between these two notions, with…