Tartu presents first modern grammar of Võru language

ERR reported that the first modern grammar of the Võru language was presented in Tartu. The book describes the language’s structure and pronunciation across different speaking regions.

The grammar took nine years to complete. It was published by the Võru Institute and compiled by Helen Plado, a lecturer in Estonian at the University of Tartu.

The previous Võru grammar was written by Wiedemann and published in 1864.

The book draws on existing research as well as the University of Tartu’s Estonian dialect corpus, collections of texts containing Võru examples and corpora compiled by the Võru Institute that contain contemporary language.

It is based primarily on language use in the Rõuge, Vastseliina and Põlva parishes and on standard Võru. The grammar also includes numerous examples and notes on regional variation, and describes generational differences where possible.

One aim of the book is to support teachers, Plado told ERR’s Aktuaalne kaamera programme.

“We do not have a proper, unified Võru-language textbook either. This gives us an opportunity to begin creating and writing the grammar section of such a textbook, and it also helps those who still have some command of the language but may need to consolidate the overall picture,” she said.