Russification of non-Estonian pupils in Tallinn

Abstract

Abstract. In the article home languages, their qualities and use by pupils in grades 2 to 5 in Tallinn are analyzed. Two larger and more characteristic groups (Ukrainians and Belarusians) and two groups with Islamic backgrounds (Azerbaijanis and Tatars) were compared with the aim of analysing different language loss and preservation factors. Although Ukrainians and Belarusians form much larger ethnic groups within Estonia, they have not managed to preserve their language anywhere near as successfully as the Azerbaijanis and Tatars.Comparison of the data suggests that language preservation in Estonia and the ability to withstand Russification are most influenced by the degree of dif ference of the language from Russian and the religious difference from the Russian Orthodox faith (and Soviet era atheism). Home languages are characterised by their use mainly in the verbal form, with skills in the literary language generally low or even nonexistent. Languages are for the most part learned informally, primarily through communication with parents and/or grandparents. The result is a supersaturated vernacular with a large degree of variation and loans from superstratum languages which falls far from the standard of the language in question.

Impact of Change of the Language Environment on the Extent of Language Shift in the Context of Linguistics

“…For the nations to whom the Soviet power did not create opportunities to found the schools of their own language or teach officially their national language to their children, the Russian language became the only written language (ibid.). Thus, the language of instruction in the schools had an important role in the process of the language shift (Vahtin et al 2003, Massenko 2008, Rannut, Rannut 2010b.…”

“…In addition, there was the obligatory job assignment and the mandatory Soviet Army service, which expected the use of the Russian language (ibid.). The people, who could speak Russian better, had the chance of better jobs and career, which reinforced the status of the Russian language (Rannut, Rannut 2010b).…”

Ģimene valodā un valoda ģimenē : Akadēmiķa Jāņa Endzelīna 151. dzimšanas dienas atcerei veltīta starptautiska zinātniska konference : tēzes

“…Prior research (Rannut & Rannut, 2010;Klaas, 2015;Iqbal, 2021) has established the ground for understanding the intricacies of language within this fragmented community due to the geographical and generational distance between the two main Tatar groups in Ida-Viru and Harju counties. Paradoxically, the Russification of the so-called third ethnicities continued in re-independent Estonia (Rannut & Rannut, 2010). Spolsky's (2004) tripartite model of FLP (language: practices, beliefs or ideologies, management) served as a base to analyse factors influencing Tatar parents' decisions regarding 1) the language of instruction -Estonian or Russian -at schools now at the eve of transition to Estonian-language instruction, 2) languages spoken at home, 3) recreational activities.…”

Estonian conditional clauses: The degree of hypotheticality and the link to temporal and concessive clauses

“…Similar to the classification above, Estonian linguistics (Erelt et al 1993:308; Külmoja 1998) divides conditional clauses into two groups: real and unreal. A slightly different approach has been suggested by Rannut (1981), who distinguishes between three types of conditional clauses: real, possible, and unreal. However, she also points out that possible and unreal conditional clauses take an identical form in Estonian and should, for this reason, be treated together, which leaves us with two main types of conditional clauses: the real and the hypothetical 5…”

“…All earlier works on Estonian conditional clauses cited in Section 4.1 (Rannut 1981, Erelt et al 1993:308, Külmoja 1998) are based on the premise that there is a direct link between the form of the main verb and the meaning of the conditional clause – conditionals whose main verb is in the indicative mood or in the da -infinitive express a real conditional meaning, while conditionals whose main verb is in the conditional mood express an unreal meaning 6 . According to Erelt et al (1993:308), in Estonian, the verb of real conditional clauses can be either in the indicative or in the form of the da- infinitive 7 .…”