SEEDRIORU is FIFTY
Kommentaarid on kirjutatud EWR lugejate poolt. Nende sisu ei pruugi ühtida EWR toimetuse seisukohtadega.
VanemadUuemad
I was there!13 Jun 2005 10:48
I recognize a half of the people in the photo. Would love to know the identity of the others.

Who took the photo? Not Salme, as credited. I know that because Salme is in the photo.

Thank you, anonymous contributor (even though you make me feel so old.)
to those in the photo13 Jun 2005 13:41
On the extreme left, we see Tõnu Saidla, a nice fellow who eventually became a highly-respected civil servant and fine family-man -- a geat credit to himself and his community. Beside him, we see the guy (I'll leave his name unmentioned) who spitefully defaced my colouring-book with a crayon that year. I last saw him in the 60's with a cigarette dangling from his mouth as he revved the engine of his hopped-up car. Together they probably represent the best and worst of our class. I also see two school teachers and a suicide in the photo. Apart from them, I'll bet the rest of us turned out pretty much OK. We should rejoice. We're from good stock.
Is there any interest in a reunion at Seedrioru's 50'th anniversary celebration for a re-shoot of group-photo? I'll be there if you'll be there. (I'd like a chance to settle accounts with the guy that defaced my colouring-book.)
Cupid13 Jun 2005 18:58
Hey, ya gotta be fair...which one are you on the photo?

Thanks for the story. Since nameless defaced your prized colouring-book, you can always do the same to his car - I'd say that should even things out (just kidding!).

I think you both probably had a crush on each other! Hope you meet up again at Seedrioru! :)

Thanks Cupid!15 Jun 2005 15:33
Even though I'm an available widow, "nameless" isn't the guy for me. When I last saw him in the '60s, he was a bit thuggish for my taste. I want a sensitive, compassionate man who appreciates conversation, literature and music, and doesn't insist on a "quicky" before the hockey game. I'll be waiting for a while, regrettably, because most guys like that already have boyfriends.
Cupie16 Jun 2005 05:41
...so not even a little fling? A summer romance? Two ships in the night?



Get Real!16 Jun 2005 17:27
Would you willingly lay under a beached whale that stinks of beer and cigarettes? A little fling, a summer romance, indeed! Under his beer-gut, Mr. Nameless has a useless dick that he hasn't seen in years.
Cupe17 Jun 2005 17:52
Thanks for the chuckle. :))
Väike Manituu13 Jun 2005 14:44
How many Estonian words do you recognize? Right - one, i.e. better than nothing. Suvekodu.
üks hääl pildilt mõnitajale13 Jun 2005 18:12
If you weren't as low as a snail's belly (or as a snake's ass), I'd happily prove to you that I can speak Estonian better than you can speak English. With 14 words of English you gave yourself away as a foreigner. By contrast, I can conduct simple conversations in Estonia without revealing that I wasn't born there.
Look at the children in the photo. We're the sons and daughters of Estonian refugees. Only the oldest among them were born in Estonia and even then they departed as nursing babes. We learned Estonian because our parents couldn't speak English. As they learned we forgot, with the exception of a few who have engaged in an effort. You should know that Estonian is utterly useless beyond the borders of Estonia and anyone out here who speaks it does so because they love it. If they stammer with an accent, so be it. That too can change, as in many cases, it has.
What's wrong with you? Why do you come here, regularly, to jeer at us?
Väike Manituu13 Jun 2005 20:34
"With 14 words of English you gave yourself away as a foreigner." -
Of course I am a damn foreigner, I am an Estonian.

"By contrast, I can conduct simple conversations in Estonia without revealing that I wasn't born there." -
No chance. Or may be just simple conversations. What is your point here anyway? Have I ever criticised your English? Calm down, it's perfect. We can all see that. All Estonians tend to be proud of their English. At home and abroad.

" We learned Estonian because our parents couldn't speak English."-
Do you actually apologize right now?

"As they learned we forgot, with the exception of a few who have engaged in an effort. You should know that Estonian is utterly useless beyond the borders of Estonia" -
Oh, I know. I can see that, too. I can even feel it at the moment. That's the point...
Anonymous14 Jun 2005 03:47
For a long time and over a broad variety of topics, we have read your commentary. Without exception, its scornful. I'm probably not alone in wondering why. We're incapable of getting into your face and, thus, it would be easy and natural for you to ignore us if we indeed deserve scorn. But there is nothing natural about you. Even your moniker betrays conceit of bizzare proportions.
to - Väike Manituu14 Jun 2005 04:08
I've read your comment very carefully and, truly, I simply can't understand what it is that you are trying to communicate. I'm curious, however, and would welcome clarification. We'll understand if you write to us in Estonian. Thanks, in advance
Väike Manituu14 Jun 2005 06:10
Oh, thank you very much for your kind permit to speak Estonian... well, this is however not the language of this thread. Besides, I do not feel being as much Estonian than you are. You're far better. Never the less, may be even I could get some enlightenment, if your kindness(es) would take a trouble to explain me what has been scorny enough in my first comment to make you entitle me as snake's ass.
Väike Manituu14 Jun 2005 06:15
over several years people like you have been trying to explain us how contaminated and corrupted our language is by Russian, not to talk the "soviet morality" it brings... well, now try to speak Estonian yourself, try to teach your children better Estonian. Or shut the f... up.
Anna Nüüm14 Jun 2005 06:40
Ai ai ai!!
Asi läheb juba rumalaks!

Tore näha selliseid pilte ja oleks tõesti tore kui oleksid nimed juures, kui keegi teaks kes need noored uustulnukad Kanadasse on/olid.
to - Väike Mõnitaja14 Jun 2005 15:48
No one in the photo has the capability to deliver a discourse on the corrupting effect of the Russian language and Soviet morality upon the Estonian language and culture. No one here has the requisite knowledge or linguistic ability. One half speaks Estonian as you speak English, just barely comprehensibly. The other half speaks better but far from the requirements of such a task.
I invited you to address us in Estonian with no presumption of authority, only to understand what's on your alledged mind. I hoped to hear from you in a language in which you can make yourself understood.
You've taunted us on these pages for a long time with two themes. Firstly, for failing to be average Estonians. There's nothing that we can do about it. We could learn to speak Estonian like Jaan Kross (or the melifluous Savikäkk) and still fail to meet the standard of acceptability. As exiles we're, indeed, eccentric. You, however, are asking us to meet a standard beyond our reach and, indeed, beyond your reach because there is no such thing as an average Estonian (a person with one breast and one testicle). Secondly, you goad us, as Europeans, for living immorally in North America on land which rightly belongs to aboriginals. By implication, Europeans should vacate North America so that the noble savage can reclaim his state of nature. I have no response to that. Some ideas are so foolish that only an educated person can believe them.
Väike Manituu14 Jun 2005 22:20
"I hoped to hear from you in a language in which you can make yourself understood."

Somehow I can see that I've managed to make myself quite clear.. If there was some idea behind the words you did'nt get, so you can blame rather yourself. You would'nt get it anyway, regardless of the language. I do not blame you, we're living in a quite different worlds. I can hardly see anything common between me and you.

" We could learn to speak Estonian like Jaan Kross (or the melifluous Savikäkk)"

Especially this "Savikäkk" tells that you may not be a foreigner after all...

"Secondly, you goad us, as Europeans, for living immorally in North America on land which rightly belongs to aboriginals. By implication, Europeans should vacate North America so that the noble savage can reclaim his state of nature. I have no response to that. Some ideas are so foolish"

heh-heh...savage.... you are trying to get provocative, are'nt you? I am not sure whether you truly are foreign Estonian, you must be some asshole from Estonian commenting threads in ee-domain... otherwise I could answer and state that everything is still in order. Russians and other guys from Eurasia and Africa have come and filled the vacancy you've left in Europe. You are not an European. You cannot come back. There is no vacuum in nature.
Keegi16 Jun 2005 17:45
Teil molemal on vapustavalt hea Inglise keele oskus. Olen kindel et volete molemad sundinud siin (Canada/USA)
Te molemad aga unustate vaikese detaili. See leht on eesti leht siin. Pole motet oma Inglise keele oskusega siin hupelda. Ma arvan et kogu selle "Eesti Elu" mote on et eesti keelt ja kultuuri sailitada valjaspool eesti piire. "Eesti Elu" on teinud head tood siiani.
Parem proovige oma erinevused lahti raakida Eesti keeles !!!!

PS! Vabandan kuna ei viitsi ASCII 'd kasutada et tappe peale panna.
to - keegi17 Jun 2005 15:23
Palun uurige veelkordselt meie pilti. Seal näete lapsi kes tänapäeval on pensionile minemas. Paraku nendest pooled ei ole võimelised eestikeelset ajalehte lugeda. Mina asun teises pooles aga mu eesti keel on nii nagu Teile siin ilmub. Eesti Elu on nii kuidas ta on sest ta proovib kõiki teenida. Ise ma ei jõua teda ära kiita sest tal on mitu oivalist kirjanike. Eesti Päevalehes ma ei leia parimaid.
Ei see Väike Manituu valda head ingliskeele oskust. (Valige päris juhuslikult mõne lause välja ja ma siis seletan Teile kus tal vead asuvad.) Et Te pole seda ise märkanud tõestab et Te olete ikka kodueestlane (millegi pärast tahtsin kirjutada, kodueestlanna. Olgu see kuidas ta on). Et Te siia tulite positiivse sõnumiga ja hea sooviga teeb Teid väga teretulnuks. Tulge jälle.

Teid tervitades, üks poisike pildilt.
Väike Manituu13 Jun 2005 14:45
Happy anniversary anyway!
kõik13 Jun 2005 15:07
mine metsa
Väike Manituu18 Jun 2005 00:53
On huvitav ja naljakas jälgida, kuidas üks eestlane on alati valmis ära näitama, kus teise eestlase ingliskeelses tekstis vead asuvad (btw: ma näen sageli ikka ise ka, kus nad mul asuvad kui omaenese teksti teist korda üle loen, äran'd muretse...). Millegipärast ei tunta peaaegu kunagi samasugust muret emakeele üle... s.t. et eestlane olla pole ikka kuigivõrd trendikas, kõige rohkem mõne mehe või naise erahobi. See-eest oma inglise keele oskust ei jõuta piisavalt üles kiita, natuke aitab see kui teise mehe tekstis vigu nähakse laita, siis minnakse ja laidetakse. Inglise keele rääkimine on uhkuseasi, eesti päritolu on saatus.
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