kolmikpunktile

Kolmikpunktile is a term used in Estonian to refer to the three dots used in Estonian orthography to indicate a glottal stop or a brief interruption in speech. This punctuation mark is unique to the Estonian language and is not used in other languages with a Latin script. The dots are placed above the base letter, and they can appear in various positions relative to the letter: above and to the left, above and to the right, or directly above the letter. The use of kolmikpunktile serves to distinguish between words that would otherwise be spelled identically, such as "ma" (I) and "mä" (hill). This punctuation mark is an important aspect of Estonian orthography, contributing to the clarity and accuracy of written Estonian.