EKK ISO 639-3
Estonian, Standard
Eesti Keel Autonym
A language of Estonia
- ISO 639
- ekk
- Alternate Names
- Eesti, Eesti Kirjakeel
- Autonym
- Eesti Keel
- Population
- 1,050,000 in Estonia (European Commission 2012). , including 1,290 speakers of Northeastern Coastal Estonian dialects, 26,800 speakers of North Estonian dialects (24,500 island dialects, 770 eastern dialects, 210 central dialects, and 1,280 western dialects), and 13,800 speakers of South Estonian dialects (9,700 Mulgi and 4,110 Tartu) (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 1,157,640.
- Language Status
- 1 (National). Statutory national language (1992, Constitution, Article 52(1)).
- Classification
- Uralic, Finnic
- Dialects
- Tallinn (Northern Estonian, Reval), Tartu (Dorpat, Southern Estonian), Mulgi. Dialects are grouped into three groups: Northeastern Coastal Estonian (between Tallinn and Narva), North Estonian (island, western, central, and eastern dialects), and South Estonian (Mulgi, Tartu). All the other dialects are assimilated into Standard Estonian. Standard Estonian is based mostly on North Estonian dialects. Mulgi and Tartu are generally regarded as separate linguistic entities somewhere between Võro [vro] and Standard Estonian. Related to Vod [vot] and Finnish [fin]. A member of macrolanguage Estonian [est].
- Typology
- SVO; 14 cases: affixes indicate case of noun phrases; verb affixes mark person, number of subject, and agreement (obligatory); genitives, adjectives, numerals before noun heads; question word initial; word order distinguishes given and new information; active and passive voice; 4 moods in both voices: indicative, imperative, conditional, oblique; 2 infinitives for all verbs; 4 tenses in both voices and all moods: present, past, perfect, pluperfect; 3 degrees of comparison: positive, comparative, superlative; stress on first syllable; possible secondary stress on third syllable; non-tonal.
- Language Use
- Standard Estonian is the language of education, including universities. Most also use Russian [rus] (European Commission 2006). Many also use English [eng] (European Commission 2006). Some also use Standard German [deu] (European Commission 2006). Also use Finnish [fin].
- Language Development
- Fully developed. Bible: 1739–1995.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Estonian, Standard
- Writing
- Latin script [Latn].
- Other Comments
- Some linguistic influences from Russian [rus], German [deu], Swedish [swe], Latvian [lav], Lithuanian [lit], and Finnish [fin]. Christian.
Also Spoken in
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Australia
Language Name
Estonian, Standard
User Population
1,840 in Australia (2016 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Canada
Language Name
Estonian, Standard
User Population
5,450 in Canada (2016 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Germany
Language Name
Estonian, Standard
User Population
7,300 in Germany (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Denmark
Language Name
Estonian, Standard
User Population
1,370 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Spain
Language Name
Estonian, Standard
User Population
2,720 in Spain (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Location
- Kymenlaakso and Uusimaa regions; scattered throughout south coast.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Refugees from World War II or recent immigrants. The traditional community was assimilated to the Swedish-speaking community. Christian. View other languages of Finland
Language Name
Estonian, Standard
User Population
49,700 in Finland (2018 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United Kingdom
Language Name
Estonian, Standard
User Population
3,400 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Ethnic population: 14,000 (2004).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Kazakhstan
Language Name
Estonian, Standard
User Population
2,100 in Kazakhstan (Leclerc 2017e).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Latvia
Language Name
Estonian, Standard
User Population
2,180 in Latvia (2018).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Norway
Language Name
Estonian, Standard
User Population
5,250 in Norway (2021 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Russian Federation
Language Name
Estonian, Standard
User Population
15,600 in Russian Federation (2010 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Sweden
Language Name
Estonian, Standard
User Population
4,690 in Sweden (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United States
Language Name
Estonian, Standard
User Population
6,040 in United States (2015 census).
Map
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