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Estonian Language

Estonian CD-ROM
RRP: £24.95
Our Price: £19.99
with FREE P&P

Where does Estonian come from?
Estonian is a member of the Finno-Ugric sub-group of the Ural-Altaic family of languages. The Finno-Ugric languages were first spoken by people who lived in the Ural Mountains. Estonian is closely related to Finnish and Saami

Estonian has two main dialects. The northern dialect, Tallinn, is used in most of the country and forms the basis of the modern literary language. The southern dialect is found from Tartu southwards. Written records of the Estonian language date from the 16th Century

How many people speak Estonian?
There are about 1.1 million people who speak Estonian throughout the world.

In how many countries?
Speakers of Estonian are to be found in Estonia, Russia, USA, Canada, Finland and Latvia.

Estonian Culture

A spot of Culture
Tallinn's July Baltika Folk Festival is a week of music, dance, exhibitions and parades focusing on Baltic and other folk traditions. The All-Estonian Song Festival, with the highlight being a choir of up to 30,000 people singing traditional Estonian songs, is held every five years. Estonians celebrate their folk culture in mid-June during Memme-taadi Days. The night of 23rd June is the eve of Jaanipäev, the climax of midsummer events.

Estonia's native folklore survived centuries of foreign domination, thanks largely to a rich oral tradition of songs, verses and chants on subjects like the seasonal cycle, farming the land, family life, love and myths.

Modern Estonian literature began in the early 19th century with the poems of Kristjan Jaak Peterson. The national epic poem, Kalevipoeg (Son of Kalev), was written in the mid-19th century by Freidrich Reinhold Kreutzwald. The giant of 20th century Estonian literature is novelist Anton Hansen Tammsaare. Novelist Jan Kross and poet Jaan Kaplinski have recently received international acclaim.

Estonian Music and Dance
Music is still closely connected with old customs and traditions. In the mid 19th century, urged on by the national awakening, the people started gathering and preserving folk music.

During the period of Soviet occupation, the song festivals were of immense importance for Estonians. This was the only chance to publicly demonstrate that Estonians still felt strongly about their identity and belonging together.

Estonian Food and Drink
Smoked fish, especially trout (suitsukala) is an Estonian speciality, and sausages are very popular. At Christmas time, sausages are prepared from fresh blood and wrapped in pig's intestine. Blood sausages (verevorst) and blood pancakes (vere pannkoogid) are served in most traditional Estonian restaurants.

No one quite knows what the syrupy Vana Tallinn liqueur is made from. It's very sweet, very strong and an essential part of any Estonian table.

Estonia's best beers are the light Saku beer and the heavier Saare beer from the island of Saaremaa, while some cafes and bars serve tasty, warming hõõgvein (mulled wine).

Estonian Attractions
Tallinn In few places in Europe does the aura of the 14th and 15th centuries survive intact the way it does in Tallinn's Old Town jumble of medieval walls and turrets, needling spires and winding, cobbled streets.

Hiiumaa This quiet, sparsely populated island about 22km (14mi) west of the mainland has some beautiful stretches of coast.

Saaremaa Estonia's biggest island has always had an independent streak and was usually the last part of the country to fall to invaders. Saaremaa is a thinly populated place of unspoiled rural landscapes.

Lahemaa National Park Estonia's largest national park is an interesting mix of coastal bluffs, dense forest, 18th century manor houses, and numerous lakes, rivers and waterfalls, located in northern Estonia.

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