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Estonian language

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The Estonian language (Estonian: eesti keel) is spoken by about 1.1 million people, of which the great majority live in the Northern European country of Estonia.

Estonian belongs to the Finnic branch of the Finno-Ugric languages. Estonian is thus related to Finnish, spoken on the other side of the Gulf of Finland, and more distantly to the Hungarian language of the Ugric branch. Despite some overlaps in the vocabulary, in terms of its origin, the Estonian language is not related to its nearest western neighbour, Swedish, nor to its southern neighbour, Latvian, nor to its eastern neighbour, Russian, which are all Indo-European languages.

One of the distinctive features of Estonian is that it has what is traditionally seen as three degrees of phoneme length: short, long, and "overlong", such that IPA /toto/, /to:to/ and /to::to/ are distinct, as are /toto/, /tot:o/, and /tot::o/. The distinction between long and overlong is, in practice, as much a matter of syllable stress (involving pitch) as duration. Long and overlong vowels are not distinguished in written Estonian; plosives, however, appear in writing with three "degrees": b,d,g; p,t,k and pp;tt;kk (all unvoiced plosives).

Phonology

There are nine phonemic monophthongs — a e i o u õ [ɤ] ä [æ] ö [ø] ü [y] — which have three phonetic lengths. Of these, simple and long are segmentally phonemic, and the third length level is suprasegmentally phonemic and aided by a distinctive tonal contour. The script distinguishes only short and long (marked by vowel doubling). There are 19 segmental diphthongs (Hint 1978), and polysyllablic vowel clusters are also found.

Front Back
Unrounded Rounded Unrounded Rounded
Close i ü u
Mid e ö õ o
Open ä a

There is one series of stops, unvoiced unaspirated, with three phonemic lengths, written b d g, p t k and pp tt kk. The rest of the consonants also have distinctive length, but only short and long are distinguished in writing. As with vowels, two segmental length levels are phonemic, and the third level is suprasegmentally phonemic. For example, for 'n', short 'n' in lina "sheet", half-long 'n' in linna "town's", over-long 'n' in linna "to the town". The latter addition of length is traceable to a grammatical marker *-han that has elided.

The fricatives are s h, added with f š ž z for loans. The other consonants are j l m n r v, plus the allophonic velar nasal in nk and ng. Consonants may be palatalized; this is not spelled out. Palatalization occurs before front vowels. About 0.15% of the vocabulary features fully phonemic palatalization, where palatalization occurs without the front vowel. (The process is similar to that found in Eastern Finnish dialects, where word-final 'i' is elided, leaving the palatalization on the consonant.) Thus, palatalization does not necessarily need a front vowel, and palatalized vs. plain continuants can be articulated. Estonian palatalization is thought to be of Uralic origin, and is different from Russian. In Russian, palatalization causes some affrication and necessarily features a palatal approximant/fricative offglide, which is not the case in Estonian.

The stress is on the first syllable; however, international loanwords and over-long consonants may alter this pattern.

Vocabulary

Although Estonian and English languages are of completely different origins (leaving out the highly controversial Nostratic and Proto-World language theories), one can identify many similar words in the two languages. This is primarily due to the fact that Estonian language has borrowed nearly one third of its vocabulary from Germanic languages, including about 15% of the total number of word roots in modern Estonian which were borrowed from Middle Low German (Low Saxon) during the period of German rule in Estonia.

Proposed origin No. of word roots Period Examples
Nostratic (hypothetical) 130? 15 000 – 10 000 BC mi(na), si(na), vesi, tabama, arbuma, puur, poeg, päkk, keel, pelgama, süva, vedama, üks
Uralic 120 5000-4000 BC ala, üla, esi, taga; see, too, kes, mis, ei; minema, tulema, tundma, ujuma, pelgama, kaduma, mõskma; puu, kuusk, kõiv, murakas, suvi, päev, kaja, kuu, lumi, soo, juga, kala, küü, sisalik; keel, kõrv, luu, maks, põlv, põsk, silm, muna, neelama, pala, sulg, kõrv; tuli, süsi, suusk, nool, sõudma, punuma, vask, vöö; elama, koolma, vägi, nimi, sala, naine; kaks, viis
Finno-Ugric 270 4000 -3000 BC aju, üdi, hing, pea, pii, sapp, vats; aru, jää, koit, voor, paju, pihl, kask, mari, pohl, kamar, rebane, nugis, siil, utt, hiir, püü, mõtus, vares, pääsuke, säga, säinas, särg, täi, kusilane, koi; koda, küla; põlema, küdema, pada, leem, või, väits, vestma, sau; sõba; kolm, neli, kuus; nõid, ise, ilm; talv, sügis, iga; isa, poeg, küdi, kond; valge, hahk, uus, sepp
Finno-Permic 50-140 2500 -1500 BC kõht; kõri; säär; koobas, põrm, sõnnik; peda(jas), kuslapuu, oks, pähkel, kiud, peni, orav, kotkas; rehi, kuduma, amb, mõla, õng; äi, äike; parem, vana; lõuna; meel
Finno-Volgaic 100-150 1500 -1000 BC selg, koon, käpp, vaim; kevad, täht, järv, haab, saar, tamm, vaher, sarapuu, õlg, lehm, siga, pett, jahvatama, kurg, kurvits, parm, sääsk; keema, hiilgama, käis, piir; vene; lell; jumal; aher, jahe, kõva, süva; kargama, pesema, püsima, lüpsma
Finno-Lappic 130 - 150 1000 – 500 BC vihm, sammal, org, vili, põõsas, põud, õnn, veli, ime, luule, taga, tõsi, nälg, küll
Baltic-Finnic 600 - 800 500 BC – 800 AD põder, oja, udu, hobu, mänd; kõne, sõna; aeg, eile; laps, rahvas, linn; nuga, king; julge
Estonian and unknown appr. 1000   räni, roie, salk, videvik, jäärak, ila, aas, lubi, lõhn, kaan, kesv, ürp + numerous onomatopoetic-descriptive words
Artificial 50-60   veenma, roim, laip, kolp, relv, ese, süüme, mõrv, ulm, siiras, range, sulnis, nõme, taunima, naasma, reetma, embama; eirama, eramu, etlema, kõlar, külmik, meetmed, meene, siirdama, teave, teismeline, teler, üllitis, ärandama, levima, süva(muusika), taies, rula
Proto-European loans (hypothetical) appr. 50 5000 – 3000 BC higi, huul, koib, kõrv, kube, külg, liha, lõug, nahk, rind, selg; mägi, mets, neem, nõmm, oja, org, saar, soo; ahven, haug, koger, koha, rääbis, siig, vimb; jänes, konn; helmes
Indo-European and Indo-Iranic loans 20 - 45 3000 – 1000 BC mesi, sool, osa, sada, põrsas, varss, sarv, puhas, vasar
Proto-Baltic and Baltic loans 100 - 150 1500 – 500 BC hammas, hani, hein, hernes, hõim, oinas, puder, põrgu, ratas, seeme, sein, mets, luht, sõber, tuhat, vagu, regi, vill, veel, kael, kirves, laisk
Proto-Germanic and Germanic loans 380 2000 BC – 13th century agan, ader, humal, kana, kaer, rukis, lammas, leib, põld; aer, mõrd, laev, noot, puri; : kuld, raud, tina; sukk, katel, küünal, taigen; kuningas, laen, luna, raha, rikas, vald; kalju, kallas, rand; armas, taud, kaunis, ja
Old Slavic loans 50-75 10th – 13th century aken, sahk, sirp, turg, teng(elpung), pagan, papp, raamat, rist, kasukas
Proto-Latvian loans 40 6th- 7th century kanep, lääts, magun, udras, kõuts, palakas, lupard, harima, kukkel, vanik, laabuma, kauss, mulk, pastel
Low German loans 750 12th – 16th century kool, neer, ribi; kruus, torm; kõrvits, peet, salat, petersell, münt, köömen, loorber, palm, tamm, roos, ploom; hunt, köök, kruubid, kringel, pannkook, pekk, prantssai, sült, vorst, õli, tärklis, pruukost, kruus, pann, pütt, korv, lähker, toober, tiik, tuli, lamp, lühter; käärid, teljed, vokk, lõuend, samet, siid, vilt, kuub, kört, loor, müts, muda, mantel, püksid, vammus, nööp; hoov, häärber, kelder, kemmerg, korsten, ruum, saal, tall, haamer, hing, höövel, kellu, kapp, pink, tool, trepp, vall, võlv; jaht, jääger, kants, kütt, laager, lahing, piir, püss, poiss, tääk, vaht; altar, ingel, jünger, psalm, prohvet, salm, preester, troost, pihtima, vöörmünder, piiskop, sant; preili, memm, mats, härra, proua, kelm, narr, naaber, kuller, laat, selts, krahv, saks, arst, plaaster; hangeldama, küürima, tingima, kortel, matt, toll, vaagima, viht, üür, paar, piik, tosin, veerand; näärid, reede, tund, vastlad; ankur, kiil, tüür, praam, madrus, pootsman, kotermann, loots, kipper; kaart, kool, kunst, maaler, maalima, paber, trükkima, uurima, trumm, tantsima, piip, vilepill, pasun; just, topelt, väärt
Swedish loans 140 13th – 17th century kratt, kroonu, kuunar, julla, pagar, näkk, plasku, plika, solk, tasku, räim, tünder, moor, puldan, tont
Russian loans 350 14th – 20th century kapsas, tatar, puravik, riisikas, sihvka, kiisu, suslik, kulu, prussakas, tarakan, naarits, soobel, uss; noos, moiva, vobla, mutt; kamorka, putka, sara, lobudik, trahter, koiku, nari, pruss, tökat; hõlst, kamass, kirsa, kombinesoon, kott, puhvaika, marli, pintsak, retuusid, trussikud; kiisel, pontšik, rosolje, rupskid, borš, uhhaa, morss, samagon; batoon, kissell, plombiir, povidlo, šašlõkk, uhhaa; plotski, mahorka, pabeross; mannerg, kopsik; nuut, kantsik, piits, tupik, relss, jaam; kabi, knopka; kasakas, kasarmu, karauul, katelok, kiiver, munder, nekrut, pagun, polk, ranits, sinel, tentsik, utsitama, timukas, rajoon, türm, pops, artell; palakas, haltuura, parseldama, parisnik, siva, tolk, tots, pujään, kitt, tuur, ladna, prosta, sutike; kaanima, kostitama, kruttima, kupeldama
(High) German loans 500 16th – 20th century larhv, lokk, seitel; kastan, pappel, kirss, jasmiin, jorjen, kartul, tulp, vihk; ahv, auster, kalkun, siisike, miisu, mops, taks, kits, vau, viidikas, nepp, pistrik; klimp, klops, kotlet, kompvek, supp, tort, viiner, soust, vahvel, vürts, vein; jope, kittel, kampsun, kleit, vest, lips, värvel, sall, pluus; kamin, pliit, käär(kamber), sahver, latter, kabel, palat; pult, sohva, leen, kummut, kardin, sahtel; uur, klade, klamber, latern, sihverplaat, silt; opman, oober, tisler, tudeng, velsker, virtin, antvärk, aadlik, kärner, kilter, kutsar, lärm, oksjon, krempel, klatš; krehvtine, hull, liiderlik, napp, noobel, ontlik, plass, tumm, trammis; kleepima, klantsima, mehkeldama, sehkendama, rehkendama, trimpama, pummeldama, praalima, turnima; ahoi, proosit, hurraa, hopp, hallo
Finnish loans 90 19th – 20th century aare, sangar, harras, jenka, julm, jäik, sünge, tehas, uljas, vaist, vihjama, säilima, kuvama, haihtuma, anastama
Hebrew loans < 5   jaana(lind), tohuvabohu
Roma loans <5   manguma

Orthography

Like Finnish, Estonian employs the Latin alphabet, in addition to which the Estonian alphabet contains letters š, ž, ä, ö, ü, and õ. The letters c, q, w, x and y are limited to proper names of foreign origin, and f, z, š, and ž appear in loanwords and foreign names only. Ä, ö, and ü are pronounced similarly to their equivalents in German, the language from which they were originally borrowed. The letter õ denotes IPA /ɤ/, unrounded /o/, or a mid, back, unrounded vowel. (It has a different sound from the same letter in Portuguese. It is similar to the Russian ы and the Vietnamese ơ.)

Estonian orthography is essentially phonemic with each phoneme of the language represented by exactly one grapheme. Exceptions to this derive from historical agreements: for example the initial letter 'h' in words, preservation of the morpheme in declension of the word (writing b, g, d in places where p, k, t is pronounced) and in the use of 'i' and 'j'. Also, š and ž are substituted with sh and zh in some written texts.

Modern Estonian orthography is based on the Newer Orthography created by Eduard Ahrens in the second half of the 19th century based on Finnish Orthography. The Older Orthography it replaced was created in the 17th century by Bengt Gottfried Forselius and Johann Hornung based on standard German orthography. Earlier writing in Estonian had by and large used an ad hoc orthography based on Latin and Middle Low German orthography. Some influences of the standard German orthography - for example, writing 'W'/'w' instead of 'V'/'v' persisted well into the 1930s.

Grammar

Typologically, Estonian represents a transitional form from an agglutinating language to an inflected language. Over the course of Estonian history, German has exercised a strong influence on Estonian, both in vocabulary and syntax.

In Estonian nouns and pronouns do not have grammatical gender, but nouns and adjectives decline in fourteen cases: nominative, genitive, partitive, illative, inessive, elative, allative, adessive, ablative, translative, terminative, essive, abessive, and comitative, with the case and number of the adjective(s) always agreeing with that of the noun (except in the terminative, essive, abessive and comitative, where there is agreement only for the number, the adjective being in the genitive form). Thus the illative for "a yellow house" (kollane maja) — "into a yellow house" is (kollasesse majja).

The direct object of the verb appears either in the accusative (for total objects) or in the partitive (for partial objects). The case accusative looks exactly like the genitive. Genitive vs. partitive case opposition of object used with transitive verbs creates a telicity contrast, just as in Finnish. This is a rough equivalent of the perfect vs. imperfect aspect opposition.

The verbal system lacks a distinctive future tense (the present tense serves here) and features special forms to express an action performed by an undetermined subject (the "impersonal").

Language example

NURMEKUNNA HÜMN

Karjatades kundikarju,
Süües musti hooramarju,
Leidsin eilse Nurmekunna ma.
Veel ei olnud otsas mõdu,
Veel ei olnud sündind sõdu,
Lembitut, kes liitis Maavalla.
Hingel hakkab veidi valus.
Kuskil laanes, kuskil talus,
Kostab vaikselt vilepilli hääl.
Kuskil nurmel lõhnab mesi.
Tuul toob kokku inimesi,
Hõbedased sõled rinna pääl.
Kostab, justkui löödaks lokku –
Juuaks karudega kokku.
Nurmel mängib vaikselt vilepill.
Karukujud hõbemärgis,
Tuleb tüdruk valges särgis.
Juustesse on põimit rukkilill.
Aga ükskord joodi mõdu,
Mäletati muistseid sõdu,
Lembitut, kes liitis Maavalla.
Hiiekünkal kasvas tamme.
Kuulsin tuleviku samme –
Leidsin homse Nurmekunna ma.
Kõik, mis on ilus, on eilsesse läev.
Jällegi eilseks saab tänane päev.
Kõik, mis siin selles ilus on jääv,
Tagasi homsest toob tänane päev.

Lyrics by Tõnu Trubetsky

Numbers

0 - null
1 - üks
2 - kaks
3 - kolm
4 - neli
5 - viis
6 - kuus
7 - seitse
8 - kaheksa
9 - üheksa
10 - kümme
11 - üksteist
12 - kaksteist
13 - kolmteist
20 - kakskümmend
21 - kakskümmend üks
22 - kakskümmend kaks
29 - kakskümmend üheksa
30 - kolmkümmend
90 - üheksakümmend
100 - (üks)sada
101 - sada üks
110 - sada kümme
112 - sada kaksteist
120 - sada kakskümmend
190 - sada üheksakümmend
200 - kakssada
900 - üheksasada
1000 - tuhat
1000000 - miljon

Reference

Mati Hint. Häälikutest sõnadeni. Valgus 1978, Tallinn.

See also

Estonian edition of Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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