Estonian dialect vocabularies kept fresh by newspapers, enthusiasts

Seventeen percent of Estonians speak various Estonian dialects, a figure that has grown over time, according to the latest census data. University of Tartu (TÜ) researcher Eva Saar says the preservation of these dialects depends chiefly on local enthusiasts and innovative vocabulary.
Through the ages, more than a hundred regional linguistic varieties have been spoken in Estonia.
Saar, a research fellow in Finnic languages at TÜ, believes that every corner of the country still maintains its own unique vernacular, and that no Estonian dialect has completely disappeared.
"I hope that at least a little something from every vernacular has been preserved, as linguists have been actively working on this," she added.
Especially considerable efforts in the field date back to the 1920s, when the Mother Tongue Society was founded at the university at the start of the decade. According to Saar, vocabulary was recorded and languages were documented all over. Some regions, however, saw more extensive collection efforts. Linguists were particularly captivated by Southern Estonian and island dialects.
"If a word from a particular dialect hasn't been written down, that doesn't mean the word wasn't in use," Saar noted. For example, based on the Dialectological Dictionary of Estonian, there have never been any cows in Viljandi County, Kõpu or Saaremaa's Püha Parish. "That, of course, isn't true."
According to the research fellow, regions with active leaders or leading organizations are in better shape, in terms of preserving their local language, dialect or vernacular. For example, Setomaa and the Seto language have the Seto Institute, Vana-Võromaa and the Võro language have the Võro Institute, and Kihnu islanders are very actively involved as well.
More than ten dialect alphabet books, or primers, have been published over the past couple of decades as well.
"Opportunities for learning are virtually everywhere!" Saar highlighted. "All you need is some initiative and motivation."
Northern and Southern
In Estonia, dialects can largely be divided into two main groups: Northern and Southern Estonian dialects.
Data from the latest, 2021 population census revealed that an estimated 17 percent of the population who speak Estonian as a native language also speak a dialect — 2 percentage points more than in the previous census a decade earlier.
The biggest increase in dialect speakers was recorded in Hiiu and Saare counties, i.e. the Western Estonian islands.
Eva Saar explained that, just like the Estonian language requires new words, regional languages do as well. "You can't just keep talking about herding livestock; you need to talk about modern things," she acknowledged.
In particular need of new terminology are local language journalists and newspapers. "Anyone covering contemporary topics needs contemporary words," she pointed out.
Saar says coming up with new words in dialects isn't particularly complex; it works the same way as in any language.
For example, when translating from a source language, words can be combined to create new meanings.
"The most important thing is that the word must fit the phonetic system," she noted. "Of course, when borrowing from closely related neighboring languages, you have to be careful not to cause any confusion. For instance, the same word stem can mean something completely different."
One example of such false friends are the Estonian word häälitsema, which means to make a sound, and the Seto häälitsäm(m)ä, which means to stroke.
According to Saar, though, it's impossible to predict whether a newly coined word will actually catch on.
"In his time, [19th century Estonian writer and linguist] Karl August Hermann introduced over a thousand words into the Estonian language," she highlighted. "And more than a hundred of them are still in use today, including heliredel (musical scale) or tiibklaver (grand piano), as well as all the case names: nimetav (nominative), omastav (genitive), osastav (partitive) and so on."
From punished to academic
The researcher recalled how, in the 1960s, kids were punished by being sent to the corner for speaking in dialect during recess. As a result, older generations often don't speak in dialect with their own children.
She noted, however, that just about all Southern Estonian regions now offer their own language courses.
"At the university, we try to ensure that these languages can also be taught at an academic level," Saar stressed. "It's crucial that there be language teachers among future generations too."
The University of Tartu offers courses in Võro and Mulgi, but the research fellow admitted that linguistics students themselves are actually in the minority there.
"Students from all over the university attend these courses: med school students, law school students, geographers, geologists," she noted. "The common denominator is their roots, and I've often heard while teaching that they don't want to be the first generation unable to speak their home language."
Last fall, Saar highlighted, also marked the first time in history it was possible to take an academic course in the Tartu dialect.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla