Wiedemann Language Prize Awarded to Researcher of Estonian Humor
The government has awarded the Wiedemann Language Prize to Arvo Krikmann, praising his research on Estonian folklore, Estonian humor and language, advancing linguistic folkloristics and bringing Estonian literary culture to an international audience.
Krikmann, a senior researcher at the Estonian Literary Museum and a member of the Estonian Academy of Sciences, mostly focuses on older written Estonian, figurative language and dialects. His main works are on Estonian proverbs and Estonian riddles, kultuur.err.ee reported after the award was announced today.
He has been a leading figure in studying Estonian humor. Krikmann's research is praised for the fact that it has brought the studies on Estonian folklore to international use. His 2009 article on humor and figurative speech can be read here.
Since 1989, the Wiedemann Prize, named after 19th century linguist Ferdinand Johann Wiedemann, has been awarded annually to one individual for his or her services to studying, organizing, teaching, promoting or employing the Estonian language.