South Estonian language
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| South Estonian lõunaeesti kiil |
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| Spoken in: | Estonia, Russia, Latvia | |
| Region: | Baltic States | |
| Total speakers: | 80,000 | |
| Language family: | Uralic Finno-Ugric Baltic-Finnic South Estonian |
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| Language codes | ||
| ISO 639-1: | none | |
| ISO 639-2: | fiu | |
| ISO 639-3: | est – Estonian | |
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| Note: This page may contain IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. | ||
South Estonian language [1] refers to a language or dialect group spoken in Southern Estonia (Võru, Põlva, Valga, Tartu, Viljandi counties) and to a lesser extent in Pskov region of Russia (Setomaa). The term South Estonian language is mostly used as an umbrella notion for all South Estonian regional languages or varieties: Tartu, Mulgi, Võro and Seto. The latter two are usually referred to as languages because of the relatively large difference from Estonian, so that it is difficult to understand them knowing just standard Estonian. South Estonian belongs to the Baltic-Finnic branch of the Finno-Ugric languages. In Estonian traditional dialectology the South Estonian varieties have been considered dialects of Southern Estonian dialect group of Estonian language. Since the late 1980s a regionalist movement supported by many linguists has promoted the view that South Estonian (including Võro(-Seto)), is a separate language belonging to the Baltic-Finnic branch of the Finno-Ugric languages (see Eller 1999; Iva, Pajusalu 2004).
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[edit] History
Modern standard Estonian has evolved on the basis of the dialects of Northern Estonia. However, in the 17th to 19th century in Southern Estonia literature was published in a standardized form of Southern Tartu and Northern Võro. This usage was called Tartu literary language or also South Estonian literary language [2]. One of the earliest written evidences of South Estonian was a translation of the New Testament (Wastne Testament) published in 1686.
Comparison of old South Estonian (Tartu) literary language, modern South Estonian (Võro) and modern standard Estonian:
Lord's Prayer (Meie Esä) in old literary South Estonian (Tartu):
Meie Esä taiwan: pühendetüs saagu sino nimi. Sino riik tulgu. Sino tahtmine sündigu kui taiwan, niida ka maa pääl. Meie päiwälikku leibä anna meile täämbä. Nink anna meile andis meie süü, niida kui ka meie andis anname omile süidläisile. Nink ärä saada meid mitte kiusatuse sisse; enge pästä meid ärä kurjast: Sest sino perält om riik, nink wägi, nink awwustus igäwätses ajas. Aamen.
Lord's Prayer (Mi Esä) in modern literary South Estonian (Võro):
Mi Esä taivan: pühendedüs saaguq sino nimi. Sino riik tulguq. Sino tahtminõ sündkuq, ku taivan, nii ka maa pääl. Mi päävälikku leibä annaq meile täämbä. Nink annaq meile andis mi süüq, nii ku ka mi andis anna umilõ süüdläisile. Ni saatku-i meid joht kiusatusõ sisse, a pästäq meid ärq kur’ast, selle et sino perält om riik ja vägi ni avvustus igävädses aos. Aamõn.
Lord's Prayer (Meie isa) in modern standard Estonian:
Meie isa, kes Sa oled taevas: pühitsetud olgu Sinu nimi. Sinu riik tulgu. Sinu tahtmine sündigu, nagu taevas nõnda ka maa peal. Meie igapäevast leiba anna meile tänapäev. Ja anna meile andeks meie võlad nagu meiegi andeks anname oma võlglastele. Ja ära saada meid kiusatusse, vaid päästa meid ära kurjast. Sest Sinu päralt on riik ja vägi ja au igavesti. Aamen.
The status of South Estonian began to diminish after the 1880s. Under the influence of the European liberal oriented nationalist movement it was decided that there must be one Estonian language. The beginning of the 20th century was the period for the rapid development of the Northern-based Estonian literary language.
[edit] Present situation
The South Estonian language began to undergo a revival in the late 1980s. Today, South Estonian is used in the works of some of Estonia's most well known playwrights, poets, and authors. Most success has been achieved in promoting Võro language and a new literary standard based on Võro. Tartu and Mulgi dialects have become nearly extinct.
Language example of the modern literary (Võro) South Estonian
Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Kõik inemiseq sünnüseq avvo ja õiguisi poolõst ütesugumaidsis. Näile om annõt mudsu ja süämetunnistus ja nä piät ütstõõsõga vele muudu läbi käümä.
[edit] References
[edit] Bibliography
- Eller, Kalle (1999): Võro-Seto language. Võro Instituut'. Võro.
- Iva, Sulev; Pajusalu, Karl (2004): The Võro Language: Historical Development and Present Situation. In: Language Policy and Sociolinguistics I: "Regional Languages in the New Europe" International Scientific Conference; Rēzeknes Augstskola, Latvija; 20-23 May 2004. Rezekne: Rezekne Augstskolas Izdevnieceba, 2004, 58 - 63.
[edit] See also
- Võro language
- Seto language
- Baltic-Finnic languages
- Centre for South Estonian Language and Cultural Studies
[edit] External links
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