Estonian Language Board presented proposals regarding Seto, Võro
In May, the Estonian Language Board suggested eight proposals regarding the legal status of the South Estonian languages, Võro and Seto.
On 15 May, the Estonian Language Board held a meeting with Setomaa municipality and representatives of Võro and Seto communities. As a result, the Board forwarded eight proposals to the Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Culture.
The proposals include a comprehensive analysis of the status of the South Estonian languages (historically Võro, Seto, Mulgi and Tartu dialects) taking into account not only their legal status, but also the sociolinguistic and financial aspects.
Another proposal is to allow selecting Võro and Seto as mother tongues in official registers. Also, governmental support should be directed towards matters related to education, such as supporting teachers using the South Estonian languages or funding educational materials, both printed and digital.
In addition, the development of a comprehensive national action plan was proposed in light of the current International Decade of Indigenous Languages.
