Language chamber founded to preserve Kodavere dialect

Eevi Treial speaking Kodavere dialect. Source: ERR

There are tens of thousands of people in Estonia who speak a local dialect and a new group has been formed to help support one of them - the Kodavere dialect spoken near Lake Peipsi.

The disappearance of the Kodavere dialect was predicted a 100 years ago but it still exists today. However, there are only a few dozen people left who still speak the dialect fluently.

Eevi Treial told ETV's current affairs show "Akutaalne kaamera" she considers the dialect her mother tongue. "I find that the biggest difference comes to play in pronunciation," Treial said.

In order for the language and pronunciation to be preserved, the Kodavere Language Chamber was recently established which plans to start operating a language school.

In the summer, it is planned to record a series in the Kodavere language and the chamber will try and increase young people's interest by using social media.



Editor: Roberta Vaino

