What had initially been intended as a one-off event has since grown into one of the most anticipated events celebrating Native Language Day, with not just individuals but also hundreds of schools as well as growing numbers of companies, organizations and institutions taking part in the live nationwide writing exercise.

This Thursday, the e-dictation entry form will go live on Vikerraadio's homepage in the morning. The text of this year's e-dictation exercise will be read live on Vikerraadio beginning at 10:25 a.m. Estonian time (UTC+2), and participants will have until 11 a.m. to submit their entries. The exercise text will be recited live on air several times in a row.

The e-dictation page has also been adapted for use by blind and low-vision participants, and deaf and hard of hearing participants can participate via a video version of the text that will be released simultaneously on ERR.ee.

The e-dictation text will be read live on air by Vikerraadio editor Kaja Kärner and on video by ERR news editor Veronika Uibo.

Six special categories, including one for Estonians abroad

Participants both across Estonia and abroad are encouraged to participate in the e-dictation event, in which everyone can have their personal entries sent to them by email to compare with the official exercise text afterward.

The results of the e-dictation competition will be announced live on Vikerraadio that same day, on a program starting at 2:05 p.m. during which the exercise text itself will be explained in detail as well.

In addition to the overall winner – who submitted the most accurate entry the fastest – winners will also be announced in six additional categories: students, adults, Estonian philologists and Estonian language teachers, non-native speakers, hard of hearing people as well as Estonians living or studying abroad.

A special prize will go to the most accurate entry typed and submitted via smart device, and further prizes will also be drawn between all participants of the exercise.

Participants are encouraged to submit photos of people taking part in this year's e-dictation to [email protected] and tag photos and posts shared on social media with the hashtag #vikerraadioetteütlus.

The authors of the 2024 Native Language Day e-dictation exercise text are:

• Joosep Susi, junior lecturer of literature didactics and Estonian literature at Tallinn University (TLÜ);
• Peeter Päll, chief language planner, Institute of the Estonian Language (EKI);
• Maire Raadik, senior language planner at EKI;
• Helika Mäekivi, chairperson of the Estonian Association of Copy-editors (EKL) and language adviser at the University of Tartu (TÜ);
• Merilin Aruvee, lecturer of L1 didactics at TLÜ;
• Helin Kask, language policy adviser at the Ministry of Education and Research;
• Piret Kriivan, "Keelesaade" author, managing editor at Vikerraadio.

Native Language Day is celebrated in Estonia on March 14, marking the birthday of Estonian poet Kristjan Jaak Peterson, a key figure in the emergence of Estonian national literature and regarded as the father of modern Estonian poetry, who died in 1822 at the age of 21.

The e-dictation exercise is being organized by Vikerraadio together with the Institute of the Estonian Language and the Ministry of Education and Research.

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