kirjalikkus

Kirjalikkus is a term used in Estonian linguistics to describe the degree to which a text exhibits characteristics of written language as opposed to spoken language. The word combines kirja, meaning writing, with the abstract noun suffix -likkus, yielding a notion akin to “the quality of being written.”

In usage, kirjalikkus refers to the level of conformity a text shows to standard written Estonian. It encompasses orthography, punctuation, syntax, and vocabulary that are typical of formal written registers. The concept is used to analyze how texts vary across genres, settings, and audiences, and to explore how literacy, education, and media influence written norms. It is a form-focused measure rather than a judgment of content.

Practically, texts with high kirjalikkus tend to display formal sentence structure, correct punctuation, standardized spelling, and conventional vocabulary. Texts with low kirjalikkus may feature colloquial forms, speech-like spellings, or syntactic simplifications that reflect everyday or digital communication. The concept is often applied in sociolinguistic studies, discourse analysis, and discussions of standard language ideology.

Kirjalikkus is related to broader ideas of literariness, register, and orthographic standardization, and it is most commonly encountered in Estonian-language scholarship. It is not a universally fixed metric and may be used comparatively rather than as an absolute assessment. Some scholars treat it as a descriptive tool for comparing writtenness across texts, while others critique its normative implications.