{"id":2002,"date":"2024-04-03T23:42:19","date_gmt":"2024-04-03T20:42:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/aavik\/"},"modified":"2024-04-04T00:05:40","modified_gmt":"2024-04-03T21:05:40","slug":"aavik","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/a\/aavik\/","title":{"rendered":"Johannes Aavik"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tAbout Johannes Aavik<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>\"Johannes<\/a><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

Johannes Aavik (pseudonyms J. Randvere, J. Sanglepp); 8. XII \/ 26. XI 1880 \u2013 18. III 1973) is known primarily as a productive reformer of the Estonian language. He was also a linguist, translator, critic and commentator on current affairs.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Aavik was born in the village of Randve<\/span>re<\/span> in Saaremaa, the son of a local government clerk. Between 1888 and 1902 he attended various private, sacristan (K\u00fcsterschule<\/em>) and primary schools in Kuressaare. At Kuressaare gymnasium Aavik developed his interest in his mother tongue. He took part in the writing of the publication Nooreestlane<\/em> (\u2018The Young Estonian\u2019). In 1902-1903 he studied classical languages at the University of Tartu. He spent the next two years at the Nizhyn Institute in Ukraine, from where he transferred to the University of Helsinki. In 1908 he qualified as a French teacher, and in 1910 he graduated in Romance philology, Finnish language and literature and folklore from the University of Helsinki. He worked as a language teacher in Yalta, Tartu and Kuressaare. From 1912 to 1914 he worked in the editorial office of Postimees<\/em> in Tartu. From 1926 to 1934 he was lecturer of Estonian language at the University of Tartu and a teacher of Latin and Estonian at Tartu Girls\u2019 Gymnasium. From 1934 to 1940 he was chief inspector of schools in Tallinn. In 1938 he was awarded the Order of the White Star, III Class, and in 1940 became an honorary member of the Estonian Literary Society. With the coming of Soviet power, Aavik was retired. During the German occupation he was a teacher in Tallinn, and did translating and editing of textbooks. In August 1944 he fled to Sweden in the face of the new Soviet occupation, and worked at the chair of Finno-Ugric languages at the University of Uppsala. In 1945 he settled in Stockholm, where he worked as an archivist, translator, and author of articles on language and of school textbooks. In exile he continued his diverse cultural activities and language reform work. From 1960 to 1962 he was a member of the mission at the Estonian National Congress in Sweden. He died in Stockholm and was buried at the Skogskyrkog\u00e5rden Cemetery there. In 1992 the Johannes Aavik Society was established at N\u00f5mme in Tallinn, and in the same year the Johannes and Joosep Aavik House Museum was opened at Aavik\u2019s parental home in Kuressaare (Johannes Aavik\u2019s cousin Joosep was a musician and critic).<\/span><\/p>\n

Aavik belonged to the Noor-Eesti (Young Estonia) grouping, in which he was an active contributor to their albums (writings on language, translations of poetry and prose, literary criticism, essays). In the third Noor-Eesti<\/em> album the essay-novel Ruth<\/em> (1909) appeared under the pseudonym J. Randvere. Of his critical works, those that appeared separately as books are important: Eesti luule viletsused<\/em> (\u2018Weaknesses in Estonian Poetry\u2019, 1915) and Puudused uuemas eesti luules<\/em> (\u2018Shortcomings in Modern Estonian Poetry\u2019, 1921), which demonstrate Aavik\u2019s normative attitude to poetics.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Aavik\u2019s chief merit in Estonia\u2019s cultural history is the language reform he initiated and led, the aim of which was to shape the Estonian language to be the equal of the old cultural languages of Europe. Aavik propagated the enforced development of the literary language and the aesthetic principle for the language. He set out the basic theses for language reform in 1912, in the fourth Noor-Eesti<\/em> album, with the article Tuleviku Eesti-keel<\/em> (\u2018The Estonian Language of the Future\u2019). The proposals he presented for reform embraced enriching the vocabulary, diversifying the morphology and Estonicizing the syntax. What was important was that Aavik regulated the use of abbreviated sentences and rejected excessive use of German word order. Aavik propagated his proposed reforms in many publications \u2013 Keeleline kuukiri<\/em> (\u2018The Language Monthly\u2019, 1914-1916), Keeleuuendus<\/em> (\u2018Language Reform\u2019, 1925-1926), Keelelise Uuenduse Kirjastik<\/em> (\u2018Language Reform Papers\u2019, 1914-1926) etc. What may be regarded as Aavik\u2019s major grammatical work was Eesti \u00f5igekeelsuse \u00f5pik ja grammatika<\/em> (\u2018Textbook and Grammar of Estonian Orthology\u2019, 1936). His last substantial work was the introduction to P. F. Saagpakk\u2019s Estonian-English dictionary (New Haven, London: 1982).<\/span><\/p>\n

Aavik also introduced the reformed Estonian language in translations from world literature: a series of crime, fantastical and horror stories Hirmu ja \u00f5uduse jutud<\/em> (\u2018Tales of Fear and Horror\u2019, 1914-1928, 24 volumes), Paul Bourget\u2019s novel Le Disciple<\/em> (1936), E. A. Poe\u2019s The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym<\/em> (1938), and others. Aavik also translated Finnish (J. Aho, M. Waltari), French (G. de Maupassant, P. M\u00e9rim\u00e9e), English (W. S. Maugham) and Russian (I. Turgenev, A. Pushkin) literature.<\/span><\/p>\n

He also published articles on nationality policy, which are collected in the publication Rahvustunde n\u00f5rkusest Eestis<\/em> (\u2018On the Weakness of National Sentiment in Estonia\u2019, 1988).<\/span>
\u00a0 <\/span>
Assessments of Aavik\u2019s work have been contradictory. Some of his theoretical views on language have subsequently been pronounced unfounded by other linguists and writers, but his practical activity has been very influential. Many of the grammatical changes he suggested have come into circulation and more than thirty of the words he artificially constructed are in active use, such as laip<\/em> (\u2018corpse\u2019), m\u00f5rv<\/em> (\u2018murder\u2019), laup<\/em> (\u2018brow\u2019), r\u00fcnk<\/em> (\u2018crag\u2019), meenutama<\/em> (\u2018remind\u2019), embama<\/em> (\u2019embrace\u2019), veenma<\/em> (\u2018convince\u2019).<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tA. N. (Translated by C. M.)<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Works in Estonian<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Writings on language, literature and society<\/span><\/em><\/strong>
Keele kaunima k\u00f5lavuse poole<\/strong>. Tartu: Eesti Kirjastuse-\u00dchisuse \u201cPostimehe\u201d kirjastus, 1913, 36 lk. <\/span>
M\u00f5ned keele reeglid: N\u00f5uded ja soowid<\/strong>. Tartu: Noor-Eesti, 1913, 23 lk. <\/span>
-line ja -lik l\u00f5pulised omaduss\u00f5nad: Katse -lik -line korralagedust korraldada<\/strong>. Jurjew: Eesti Kirjanduse kirjastus, 1914, 50 lk. <\/span>
Eesti rahvusliku suurteose keel<\/strong>. Tartu: Reform, 1914, 51 lk. <\/span>
Kas uuendada v\u00f5i mitte?: 28 v\u00e4idet ja vastuv\u00e4idet J. V. Veskile<\/strong>. Tartu: Noor-Eesti, 1914, 38 lk. <\/span>
Eesti luule viletsused<\/strong>. Paljastanud Joh. Aavik. Jurjev: Noor-Eesti, 1915, 34 lk. <\/span>
Katsed ja n\u00e4ited. Koguke keeleproovidena t\u00f5lgitud novelle \u00fches pikema keelelise sissejuhatusega. 1-3<\/strong>. T\u00f5lkinud ja kokku seadnud Joh. Aavik. Jurjev: Reform, 1915-1916, 95+48+16 lk.<\/span>
Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald, Johannes Aavik, Parandatud Kalevipoeg. I<\/strong>. Eess\u00f5na: Johannes Aavik. Tartu: Reform, 1916, 33 lk.<\/span>
Mis on keeleuuendus?: Ta p\u00f5hjendus ja ta program<\/strong>. Tartu: Reform, 1916, 38 lk. <\/span>
Eesti keele ortograafia<\/strong>. Tartu: Tartu Kommertskool, 1918, 47 lk. <\/span>
Uute s\u00f5nade s\u00f5nastik<\/strong>. Tartu: Istandik, 1919, 78 lk.<\/span>
Valik rahvalaule<\/strong>. Valind ja seletavate lisade ning s\u00f5nastikuga varustand Johannes Aavik. Tartu: Istandik, 1919, 240 lk. [2. tr\u00fckk: \u2018Eesti rahvalaule: koolidele ja \u00fcldsusele\u2019, Tartu: Noor-Eesti, 1935, 170 lk; 3. tr\u00fckk: \u2018Eesti rahvalaule<\/span><\/span>\u2018, New York: Eesti Kultuurifond, 1970, 168 lk.] <\/span>
Kas \u00fc v\u00f5i y? Y!<\/strong>. Tartu: Istandik, 1920, 7 lk. <\/span>
Rahvamurded ja kirjakeel: \u00f5igekeelsuse kysimus rahvamurdes ja kirjakeeles<\/strong>. Tartu: Istandik, 1920, 35 lk. <\/span>
Puudused uuemas eesti luules<\/strong>. Tartu: Eesti Kirjanduse Selts, 1921, 170 lk. \u00a0<\/span>
Uute ja v\u00e4hem tuntud s\u00f5nade s\u00f5nastik<\/strong>. Tallinn: A. Keisermann, 1921, 160 lk. <\/span>
Kirjavahem\u00e4rkide \u00f5petus: \u00fches l\u00fchikese lause\u00f5petusega, harjutus\u00fclesannetega ja nende v\u00f5tmega<\/strong>. Koolidele ja ise\u00f5ppimiseks kokku seadnud Joh. Aavik. Tartu: Istandik, 1923, 58 lk. [2., t\u00e4iendatud tr\u00fckk: Tartu: Istandik, 1927, 62 lk.]<\/span>
Keeleuuenduse \u00e4\u00e4rmised v\u00f5imalused<\/strong>. Tartu: Istandik, 1924, 174 lk. [2. tr\u00fckk: Stockholm: [s. n.<\/em>], 1974, 174 lk.]<\/span>
Eesti omap\u00e4rane kultuur ja rahvuslikud pahed<\/strong>. Tartu: Istandik, 1927, 16 lk. [2. tr\u00fckk: Tallinn: Johannes Aaviku Selts, 2010, 44 lk.]<\/span>
Sada uut tyvis\u00f5na<\/strong>. Tallinn: Istandik, 1932, 32 lk.
Keeleline k\u00e4siraamat: uuenduste ning ametliku ja uuendusliku keele erinevuste tundma\u00f5ppimiseks<\/strong>. Tartu, Tallinn: Istandik, 1932, 60 lk.<\/span>
Kuidas suhtuda \u201cKalevipojale\u201d: \u201cKalevipoja\u201d arvustus keelelises, v\u00e4rsitehnilises, stiililises ja sisulises suhtes<\/strong>. Tallinn, Tartu: Istandik, 1933, 36 lk.
Eesti \u00f5igekeelsuse \u00f5pik ja grammatika<\/strong>. Koostanud Johannes Aavik. Tartu: Noor-Eesti, 1936, 464 lk.
V\u00f5itlus halva keele vastu ja suundumine parema keele poole<\/strong>. Tartu: Noor-Eesti, 1936, 4 lk. <\/span>
Eesti keele praegune seisund ja v\u00e4ljavaated<\/strong>. Varamu, nr. 7, 1939, lk 745-761.
Rahvustunde n\u00f5rkusest Eestis: eri aastate kirjutisi<\/strong>. Tallinn: Perioodika (Loomingu Raamatukogu), 1988, 52 lk.
Ideepe: Johannes Aaviku ideede p\u00e4evik<\/strong>. V\u00e4ljaande koostaja ja peatoimetaja, eesti- ja ingliskeelse saates\u00f5na autor Helgi Vihma. Tallinn: TEA Kirjastus, 2010, 739 lk.<\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tDiaries, correspondence<\/span><\/strong><\/em>
Johannes Aavik, Friedebert Tuglas, Kultuurilugu kirjapeeglis: Johannes Aaviku & Friedebert Tuglase kirjavahetus<\/strong>. Koostanud ja kommenteerinud Helgi Vihma. Tallinn: Valgus, 1990, 168 lk.
P\u00e4evaraamat: 1916-1929<\/strong>. Koostanud ja kommenteerinud Olavi Pesti. Tartu: Ilmamaa, 2014, 310 lk.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Prose<\/span><\/em><\/strong>
J. Randvere, Ruth<\/strong>. \u2013 Noor-Eesti, 3. album. Tartu: Noor-Eesti, 1909. lk 18-74. [J\u00e4rgnevad tr\u00fckid: Tallinn, Perioodika (Loomingu Raamatukogu), 1980, 80 lk; Tallinn: Johannes Aaviku Selts, 2000, 61 lk (l\u00fchendanud ja eess\u00f5na: Mati Unt).]<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

About Johannes Aavik\u00a0 Johannes Aavik (pseudonyms J. Randvere, J. Sanglepp); 8. XII \/ 26. XI 1880 \u2013 18. III 1973) is known primarily as a productive reformer of the Estonian language. He was also a linguist, translator, critic and commentator …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":0,"parent":485,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2002","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2002","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/43"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2002"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2002\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3080,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2002\/revisions\/3080"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/485"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/ewod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}