Estisch

Estisch is a term that has been used to refer to the Estonian language. Estonian is the official language of Estonia and is a Finnic language spoken by approximately 1.1 million people. It is closely related to Finnish and distantly to Hungarian. The language has a rich literary tradition and is known for its complex grammatical structure, including a system of 14 cases. Modern Estonian has evolved significantly from its earlier forms, with major reforms occurring in the 17th and 20th centuries. The standardization of Estonian was a crucial step in the development of national identity in Estonia. The term "Estisch" itself is of German origin, reflecting the historical influence of German speakers in Estonia. While "Estisch" is not the native term for the language, it was commonly used in German-speaking contexts to refer to Estonian. Today, the preferred and standard term in English and most other languages is simply "Estonian".