Kohalikke

Kohalikke is an Estonian term that refers to the residents or locals of a particular place. It is the inflected plural form associated with the adjective kohalik (local). In everyday language, kohalikke is used to denote the inhabitants of a community, distinguishing them from visitors, tourists, or outsiders. The term appears across media, sociology, and local governance when discussing local culture, interests, or rights. For example, phrases like kohalikud inimesed, kohalike tavad, or kohalikud huvid occur in articles about municipal affairs or rural life.

Kohalikke can be used in different grammatical cases, depending on sentence structure, most commonly as a direct or indirect object in Estonian. The word can carry connotations of common identity and shared local knowledge, but it can also reflect tensions between locals and newcomers, particularly in areas undergoing rapid change, tourism, or urbanization.

In sociolinguistic and ethnographic contexts, authors may examine how the concept of being local shapes community participation and access to resources, as well as how locals are represented in media and policy discussions. Related terms include kohalik (local), kohalikud (the locals/locals as a group), and other forms used to describe locality and community ties. The concept of kohalikke thus functions as a practical linguistic tool for discussing place-based identity and governance in Estonian-speaking regions.