tõlg

Tõlg is an Estonian noun that historically could refer to either a translator or the act of translating. In modern standard Estonian, the person who translates is usually called a tõlkija and the result of translating is called a tõlge. Because of this, tõlg is now relatively rare outside of historical texts, dictionaries, or dialectal usage.

Etymology and related forms: the term is connected to the verb tõlkima (to translate) and belongs to the same word family as tõlkimine (the act of translating) and tõlge (a translation). In older Estonian texts, tõlg sometimes appeared as an agentive form meaning “translator,” but this sense has largely been superseded by tõlkija in contemporary language.

Usage and register: today, tõlg is primarily encountered in historical contexts, linguistic notes, or regional speech. For standard modern usage, one would choose tõlkija to denote a person who translates and tõlge to denote the translated text. The word may still appear in quotations or discussions about the history of translation in Estonian.

See also: Estonian language; translation; translator.