Aastaarvuta

Aastaarvuta is an Estonian term that describes a dating convention or notation in which the exact year is not specified. The word is formed from the elements aasta (year), arv (number), and the suffix -uta, which conveys absence or without. In reference works and linguistic discussions, aastaarvuta is used to denote dates that are known only to a wider period or to indicate that the year is unknown or omitted.

In practice, aastaarvuta appears mainly in archival, bibliographic, and metadata contexts. It is used to classify items such as manuscripts, early printed works, or digital records where the precise calendar year cannot be determined due to missing information, illegible dating, or intentional omission for editorial reasons. The concept is often contrasted with dates given as a specific year and with approximate dating (for example ca or circa values).

The term does not have a single universally accepted standard in Estonian archival practice. Some catalogs and databases treat aastaarvuta as a provisional or descriptive label, while others prefer more general phrases such as undated or without year. Because of its variable usage, aastaarvuta is typically accompanied by notes explaining the dating uncertainty or the reasons for the missing year.

See also: aasta, kuupäev, undated, metadata, archival dating.