<\/p>\n
Every language evolves over time, and Estonian is no different in this sense. What does<\/i> make Estonian different, however, is the nuance involved in many of the words and expressions. Just as Michael Jackson once made the word bad<\/i> mean good<\/i>, until the name \u201cMichael Jackson\u201d itself became bad, so too does this colourful language speak with contradictions. This is a guide to navigating the pitfalls of comprehension when having a conversation with an Estonian.<\/p>\n
Estonians are known as a people of few words, meaning that every word spoken carries significance. Supposedly. That\u2019s the stereotype. The reality is the opposite. For example take the word \u00fches\u00f5naga<\/i>, which means basically<\/i> or in a nutshell<\/i>, but quite literally translates to English as with one word<\/i>. True to Estonian precision, the Estonian word for with one word<\/i> is indeed one word. But when an Estonian says this in conversation, you need to be prepared for a lengthy explanation consisting of many dozens of words, and many dozens of minutes of listening.<\/p>\n
Estonians also typically do not accept everything you say at face value automatically. They are logical, and they want proof. Once you have managed to convince them that you are telling the truth**, they will often say, \u201cIssand jumal!\u201d This saying expresses incredulity, even though they now believe you. Another contradiction here is that the term literally translates as Lord God<\/i>, something most Estonians do not believe in. To summarise: Estonians will say something they don\u2019t believe in to express that they believe you, even though what they now believe is unbelievable.<\/p>\n
**Estonians by nature are sceptical, and for very good reasons. It doesn\u2019t necessarily mean they are accusing you of lying. Sometimes you just need to repeat what you\u2019re saying a couple times. Some people might think this means Estonians are slow to understand, but the truth is they are slow to trust a fact, or situation. For example, see this fictitious dialogue:<\/p>\n
\u201cI went to church last Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014No, you didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014No, you didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014Issand jumal!<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what I said when I got there.\u201d<\/p>\n
All languages also have filler words, or more colloquially, parasite<\/i> words. Words that people use without thinking, and they can be difficult to purge from the speaker\u2019s vocabulary. One example would be t\u00e4hendab<\/i>, which literally means this means<\/i>, but in reality it means the speaker doesn\u2019t like what they have already said, and they are now going to say it in a different way, and with more than one word.<\/p>\n
Noh<\/i> is a special case. This can be used as a general question meaning the speaker is impatient and wants an update. An Estonian father walks into his son\u2019s room and wants to know if his homework has been finished. \u201cNoh?\u201d<\/p>\n
When used as a statement however, it can still express a question. For example, this same Estonian father has a foreign friend visiting, and takes the friend on a tour of Tallinn\u2019s Old Town. At one point, they enter one of the many famous churches in the Old Town, and the Estonian father sees several Estonian friends in the church, sitting and praying. The Estonian father will say simply, \u201cNoh.\u201d When the friends turn around, realising they\u2019ve been caught red-handed, one of them exclaims, \u201cIssand jumal!\u201d (It should go without saying that none of the friends will say, \u201cHello, father!\u201d while in this church.)<\/p>\n
No vot<\/i> is a popular expression that in English would mean there you go<\/i>, or voil\u00e0<\/i>. No vot<\/i> stems from the Russian language, and if it\u2019s used in the Riigikogu, Estonia\u2019s parliament, it\u2019s pronounced more like no vote<\/i>. On the other hand, the Estonian jah<\/i> means yes<\/i>, but if an Estonian wants to say that they are tired of the current conversation, they will use a contradiction to agree with what you\u2019re saying: \u201cNojah!\u201d<\/p>\n
In summary, and speaking in the first person now, I, as the author of this guide to having a conversation with Estonians, will tell the tale of how Estonians won\u2019t always teach you the proper way to say something in their beautiful, mystical language. When I first started learning Estonian, I took a class. I asked the teacher how to say year<\/i>, week<\/i>, month<\/i>, and so on. When I asked her how to say twelve months<\/i>, she stood up straight, looked directly at me, and said slowly, with perfect pronunciation, \u201cPlease leave the classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n
A year later I was trying to rent an apartment, and the landlord asked me how long I would like the lease to be. I replied confidently, \u201cPlease leave the classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n
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