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At President Ilves’s meeting with the Estonian Language Council, the future of the Estonian language was discussed

22.08.2007

Today in Kadriorg, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves met with the Estonian Language Council, with whom the development strategy for the Estonian language, and issues related to language research and Estonian-language higher education and science were discussed.

President Ilves stated that keeping the future of the Estonian language in mind, it is important to clarify whether linguists should actively direct language development or just register the reforms that have occurred.

“To my mind, in respect to the enrichment of the Estonian language, we should pay more attention to the creation of native language concepts for new things and developments and not borrow them directly from foreign languages,” stressed the Estonian Head of State.

The issue of Estonian as a scientific language was discussed at length. At the meeting, it was acknowledged that an important role in the survival of a language is played by the development of scientific language, and therefore, for instance, doctoral studies should include dealing with specialized Estonian-language terminology. It is also important to send lecturers in the Estonian language to universities around the world and to promote the study of the Estonian language by foreign students.

The participants in the discussion included, among others, Tõnis Lukas, the Minister of Education and Research, Professor Birute Klaas of the University of Tartu, the Chairman of the Estonian Language Council, Jüri Valge, the adviser of the Ministry of Education and Research, Professor Karl Pajusalu of the Universities of Helsinki and Tartu, Professor Martin Ehala of Tallinn University, academician Haldur Õim, Urmas Sutrop, Director of the Estonian Language Council, and Ilmar Tomusk, Director General of the Language Inspection Office.

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