eestikeelsus

Eestikeelsus is a sociolinguistic concept that denotes the quality, use, and promotion of the Estonian language in public life and national identity. It refers to the predominance of Estonian in education, administration, media, and culture, as well as to attitudes toward the language among speakers.

Estonian is a Finnic language and the majority language of Estonia. Standard Estonian is based on North Estonian dialects, while regional varieties such as Võro and Seto retain distinct features. Eestikeelsus thus encompasses both the standard language and regional varieties used publicly and in daily life.

The concept is closely linked to language policy and national identity. Estonia regards Estonian as the official state language, with legal protections for its use in government, schooling, public services, and media. In practice, this framework shapes education, public communication, and official terminology, while minority languages are protected and promoted alongside Estonian.

In society, eestikeelsus intersects with literature, journalism, broadcasting, and digital life. Efforts to promote Estonian online, Estonian-language software, and public broadcasting support the continued use of the language. Debates around eestikeelsus often address the language rights of Russian-speaking communities, language immersion, and the balance between preserving local dialects and maintaining a unified national standard.

Overall, eestikeelsus describes both the everyday use of Estonian and the cultural and political project of sustaining Estonian as the core language of public life and national belonging.