NOW: E-Dictation Challenges Listeners to Transcribe Pitfall-Loaded Estonian Passage
Lovers and learners of the Estonian language should tune their dials to Vikerraadio (ERR Radio) at 10:30 for the seventh annual dictation contest.
A short passage of text will be read out loud at that time. It must be faithfully reproduced in writing and submitted here by 11:00.
For a language considered among the more phonetic ones, with only a few irregular pronunciations and ambiguities, the contest has a reputation for trickiness, like compound words that even foil native speakers. The passage is usually absurdist in character.
There will be prizes awarded in four different categories: schoolchildren, adult laymen, linguists and other Estonian teachers, and people for whom Estonian is a second language.
The passage will be analyzed after 11:00 and results will be revealed at 12:15 today.