Võros

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Võros (võrokõsõq) are an autochthonous linguistic minority in south-eastern Estonia. They are mostly Võro-speaking people of Estonian nationality. Their language Võro (like Finnish and Estonian) belongs to the Balto-Finnic group of the Finno-Ugric languages. Võro is a regional language of Estonia (in search of more recognition).

There are approximately 70,000 Võros all around the world. The bulk of the Võro-language speakers, however, are found in historical Võro region (Võromaa) in south-eastern Estonia, which refers to the territory bounded by the same county lines from 1783 to 1920.

The Võro language is spoken in the eight parishes of historical Võromaa: Karula, Harglõ, Urvastõ, Rõugõ, Kanepi, Põlva, Räpinä, and Vahtsõliina. These parishes are currently centered (due to redistricting) in Võru and Põlva counties with parts extending into Valga and Tartu counties.

The Võro language was also once spoken further south and east of historical Võromaa in what is now Latvia and Russia. Today, many Võro- language speakers can also be found in Tallinn, Tartu and the rest of Estonia.

[edit] See also

• Võro language
• Võrumaa

[edit] External links

• Võro Institute
• Information about Võros in Eurominority
• Võro language newspaper "Uma Leht"

[edit] References

• Eichenbaum, K.; Pajusalu, K. (2001): Setode ja võrokeste keelehoiakutest ja identiteedist. - Keel ja Kirjandus nr 7, lk. 483-489.
• Eller, K. (1999): Võro-Seto language. Võro Instituut'. Võro.
• Valk, A. (2000). Võrokeste identiteedist. K. Koreinik, J. Rahman (toim.) A kiilt rahvas kynõlõs.. Võrokeste keelest, kommetest, identiteedist (lk. 39-56). Võro Instituut, Võro.