The national dictation exercise, which attracted just 277 participants in 2008, has since grown into a much-awaited annual event for thousands of people every year. Last year, a record 6,377 submissions were received by Vikerraadio, with participants from at least a hundred different educational institutions.

"E-dictation is a very fun and riveting language game that is suitable for everyone who loves the beauty of the Estonian language," said Vikerraadio editor-in-chief Ingrid Peek. "It will definitely be interesting for participants to test their own language skills, but the dictation exercise also calls on us to contemplate more broadly whether and how our ability to write Estonian correctly has changed in today's fast-paced and information-heavy world."

The text for this year's e-dictation exercise will be broadcast on Vikerraadio at 10:30 EET. Participants are to submit their written version of the text in a dedicated window on the radio station's homepage at vikerraadio.ee. The text will be read several times in a row before the exercise concludes at 11:00.

The results will be announced during the Uudis+ radio programme beginning at 12:15 as well as published on Vikerraadio's homepage.

Separate category for Estonians abroad

Participants can compete in five different categories: students, adults, Estonian philologists, non-native speakers, and Estonians living or studying abroad. Special prizes will be awarded for the most accurate text submitted via smart device as well as the exercise's oldest and youngest participants. People who are hard of hearing are also encouraged to participate, as similarly to last year, the e-dictation text will also be available on the ERR homepage in video format.

Participants can begin practicing ahead of Thursday's exercise, however, by trying their hand here at a practice exercise drawn up in cooperation with the Institute of the Estonian Language (EKI) based on the most common mistakes seen in previous years' exercises.

This year's edition of Vikerraadio's e-dictation exercise is dedicated both to the Year of Estonian Language as well as the Jubilee Year of Estonian Song and Dance. This Thursday's text was compiled by Peeter Päll, Triin Toome-Hosman, Maris Jõks, Merilin Aruvee, Maire Raadik and Piret Kärtner.

The e-dictation exercise is organized by Vikerraadio, the Association of Estonian Language Teachers and the Institute of the Estonian Language.

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.