Professor Birute Klaas-Lang from the University of Tartu and the Estonian Academy of Sciences stated that attitudes toward the quality of Estonian as a language of science have undergone significant changes over the past decade.

"If we look at the previous parliamentary elections and the ones before that, the issue had already made its way into election programs, recognizing the need to maintain and support Estonian in higher education and acknowledging the importance of the language of science," she said. She added that in the past ten years, Estonian — particularly in the fields of science and higher education — has received more attention than it did in the mid-2010s.

According to her, there are major differences between academic disciplines in terms of whether it is possible to conduct research in Estonian or if English is required. "In linguistics, there are several Estonian-language journals that we consider to be of a very high international standard," she explained. She also noted that at the University of Tartu, doctoral dissertations are still being written and defended in Estonian, though they are clearly in the minority.

"Humanities scholars and those working in national sciences cannot avoid publishing in English. We must present our findings to an international audience, but at the same time, it is crucial that we do not forget to publish in Estonian as well," she emphasized.

Academician Jaak Aaviksoo added that while it is one thing for someone to write in Estonian, there is also another side to the coin: who is reading it?

"If there are no readers in Estonia at all, then we must ask whether it makes sense. On the other hand, in fields where public interest is greater and the potential readership is in the hundreds or thousands, publications should be in Estonian — and I believe this is being done," he said. He also noted that researchers are interested in increasing their visibility within Estonia, not just in the international academic community.

"The truth is that most scientific fields have become so specialized that within a given discipline, there may only be a few hundred or a couple of thousand experts scattered around the world. I believe a practical and reasonable balance has been established. However, more important than a narrowly focused scientific language in some specialized field of physics are university textbooks and popular science materials that reach children and inspire them to pursue science," Aaviksoo said. He emphasized that more focus should be placed on these aspects rather than on individual scientific articles.

Aaviksoo: Words and concepts have communicative meaning, they die without use

"The Estonian language is so important that just speaking it is not enough — actions must also be taken," Aaviksoo said. He noted that it would be better to think of it this way: on special occasions, we talk about our plans and what has already been done, but for the rest of the time, we must actively work to support the Estonian language.

"Words and terms have communicative meaning — if they are not used, they become dead words and serve no purpose," he said. He added that since there are millions of new scientific concepts and terms, not all of them will ever be incorporated into Estonian.

"We should focus our energy on the terms that are more widely used. That is why textbooks and popular science books are the key sources for introducing new knowledge into the Estonian language. They also help cultivate the next generation — it's not just 50-, 60-, or 70-year-old scientists discussing these terms among themselves, but also 7- and 17-year-olds who will carry these concepts forward through their lives and across decades," Aaviksoo emphasized.

According to Aaviksoo, language development should be focused on areas where it spreads, takes root and bears fruit.

"Language and terminology creation should be directed more toward these areas rather than simply filling database drawers," he emphasized. He added that the shift toward English is not only a linguistic issue but also a cultural one. "The mediums through which communication takes place — whether YouTube or TikTok — are predominantly in other languages. We can see how young people are not using Estonian words the same way we do, but rather in the way these concepts have evolved within the Estonian language."

"We have dedicated a great deal of attention and resources to teaching our non-Estonian-speaking compatriots to speak Estonian, but what is even more important is teaching the language to computers. If computers do not learn Estonian, then soon this language will cease to exist," he stressed. He added that every effort should be made to ensure that computers master Estonian properly.

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