Jaan Tõnissonist ja eesti keelest
Jaan Tõnisson and the Estonian Language

Summary/Abstract: In addition to the more or less professional language specialists, representatives of other fields as well were engaged in the development of the Estonian language and the expansion of its usage. Among the most prominent of these was Jaan Tõnisson, who had studied law and was a politician and editor of the newspaper Postimees. Tõnisson’s positions on linguistic issues were grounded in his unwavering nationalist principles, according to which the Estonian language in Estonia was one of the means of achieving national success and democracy. An important aspect of Tõnisson’s language-related activity was the fight against Russianization and Germanization and the effort to establish a developed and unified Estonian language as well as native-language education. He also devoted attention to issues related to Estonian dialects, linguistic education of Estonians living abroad and foreign language instruction. Tõnisson was a supporter of the teaching of Finnish in Estonia and recommended English as the first foreign language. His greatest service to the Estonian language was his leading role in the establishment of institutions aimed at favoring and facilitating its use.

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