Allikates

Allikates is a term found in Estonian-language texts with more than one potential sense. In linguistic and bibliographic contexts, it is used as a plural-form variant of allikas, meaning “sources.” In modern standard Estonian, the typical plural for allikas is allikad; allikates appears primarily in older documents and dialectal usage, often to denote a collective set of sources or a compiled corpus.

Etymology and form are tied to the word allikas, which means source or spring. The suffix pattern that yields allikates reflects historical or dialectal forms in which a collective or combined group is indicated, a practice seen in some older or regional Estonian varieties. Because of its archival and stylistic associations, allikates is most often encountered in texts that aim to evoke a traditional or formal tone.

In scholarly writing, allikates is occasionally found in archival notes or bibliographies to emphasize provenance from several sources. It can also appear in translations or literary texts that imitate historical style, where authors preserve archaic or formal grammar. The term thus functions primarily as a linguistic archaism rather than a standard contemporary usage.

Allikates is also used as a fictional place name in teaching materials and online resources designed to illustrate Estonian toponymy. In these contexts, Allikates is presented as a small rural settlement with typical features of the Estonian countryside, though it is not a real location. Related terms include allikas (singular) and allikad (standard plural). See also: allikas, allikad.