In a style similar to learning letters and numbers on the classic children's television show Sesame Street, Estonia seems to have begun an in-your-face language acquisition program to help foreigners and members of the Russian-speaking minority learn the basics of the Estonian language. This
seitse (seven) on Tööstuse tänav in the Karjamaa neighbourhood of Tallinn's Kopli peninsula is one
suur, sinine (big, blue) step towards Estonian integration.
The learning aid doubles as an
automaat- or
iseteenindav bensiinijaam (self-serve gas station), although the term bensiinijaam is a bit antiquated and long and is more often referred to as a
tankla, or place where you fill your
tank. This has resulted in the prevalence of the verb
tankima:
Lähme tangime Seitsmes. – Let's go fill 'er up at Seven.
A series of large, green
kaheksad (eights) are rumoured to be going up in the large industrial centres of Ida-Virumaa soon.
Üheksa (nine) is also no easy number to remember, just ask any Estonian 2-year-old.
Photo and text: RIINA KINDLAM, Tallinn
Viimased kommentaarid
Kommentaarid on kirjutatud EWR lugejate poolt. Nende sisu ei pruugi ühtida EWR toimetuse seisukohtadega.
mina ei raki eesti keel08 Aug 2009 20:34
the warning...because Esto's (me included) sometimes have a chip on their shoulder and have to be told when something is funny otherwise, they will make a political or critical deal out of it. (insert "yeah...she's right" and chuckle here)
oh ho ho ho ho
pepper08 Aug 2009 07:19
Why the warning? :'p This is evidently written with a sense of humour, something that you certainly have in spades. We categorize too much. We Twitter too much. We think little. The best social commentary is written by modern Jonathan Swifts, who don't need to be labelled as a satirist or aiming for the "Funny pages"....
riina kindlam08 Aug 2009 04:49
Just a word of warning: this little tidbit was meant to be presented under the heading: FUNNIES, Meelelahutaja, or something of that nature. There are many SEITSMED around Eesti, but no 8s, 9s or other such fun learning aids are officially planned as of yet.
What is not funny is that the price of "95 Euro" gas rose to 15.95 kroons a litre ($1.56 CAD) as of a few days ago; a far cry from the 14.20 kr seen here a few months ago, which is still excruciatingly expensive by Canadian standards.
PS: fuel in Estonian = KÜTUS
Gas / petrol = bensiin
Unleaded = pliivaba
Diesel = diisel / diiselkütus
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