As underlined by Postimees, yesterday: expensive eateries in Tallinn have switched to English and Russian as the chiefly foreign clientele needs no Estonian catering. Thus, a person speaking just the native tongue may run into trouble. Obviously, as prescribed by law, a waiter needs to speak the official language and law is law. Enforcement thereof, however, is quite a nut to crack.
Language Inspectorate is aware the problem exists but knows not what to do. Basically, the inspectors step in when notified of an infringement. Pursuant to language Act, employer bears responsibility for language skills. Even so, when owner is okay with employees, employees are okay with the work, and customers are okay with the waiter, there’s no need to notify, nor a need to interfere. As a rule, Estonians wandering into places geared towards foreigners take it easy and communicate in English. Also, most restaurants do feature an Estonian speaker.
But matters are more complicated than that: even with complaint filed, the enormous employee turnover makes is exceedingly complicated to punish the guilty. The waiter is presented the requirements, the owner is called to order, but as they show up to check it out, the person targeted has left work and is replaced by a newcomer.
We do understand that use of waiters speaking various languages is due to practical need. Estonians are not bad with languages, but the usual limit is English, Russian and Finnish. Spanish and French are rare. Yet, with visitors mainly from abroad, command of Spanish will outweigh Estonia when picking a waiter.
Not only helpless, Language Inspectorate is hopeless. They prophesy the problem is here to stay – and to deepen.
Tough spot, ain’t it? On the one hand, all is well as if – the servicing works, all involved are satisfied. And yet, the law is overlooked. As pointed out by Riina Koolmeister of education ministry language department, it’s abnormal to not be waited upon in Estonian in Estonia.
So what do we do? While the machinery runs smooth along market rules, the issue can’t just be swept under a rug. The fact that breaking a law doesn’t hurt anybody will not mean the law isn’t being broken.