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The new edition of Eesti Õigekeelsussõnaraamat, the official dictionary of the Estonian language, will no longer define the world "neeger" as neutral in Estonian language as was the case with the previous edition published in 2006.
The dictionary's 2006 edition says in the entry for "neeger" that the word is "not derogatory in Estonian." The director of the Institute of the Estonian Language, Urmas Sutrop, told BNS on Friday that in the new edition due out this fall that remark will no longer stand behind the word "neeger."
"It stands as an oddity in the present ÕS [dictionary] that 'neeger' is not derogatory. I'm not of two minds about this. The word 'neeger' is derogatory in Estonian with regard to all people of black color of skin. Many Estonians too have understood this already," Sutrop told BNS. He said that, naturally, using that word should be avoided.
The director general of the Estonian Language Inspectorate, Ilmar Tomusk, meanwhile said that in his opinion the word "neeger" was neutral in Estonian cultural space. He said there were definitely many more words in Estonian language which, while in themselves neutral in Estonian cultural space, could be insulting for some people for historical or cultural reasons.
"Similarly, some words may acquire an entirely different meaning over time. Therefore it doesn't make sense in the opinion of language scientists to prescribe to language users in a dictionary which words are insulting and which are not. I think it's a sensible approach. When a word is neutral to my mind but offensive for someone I will try and avoid using that word," said Tomusk.