From: thietaniemi@cc.helsinki.fi
Newsgroups: talk.politics.soviet
Subject: Re: Language tests in ESTONIA
Date: 23 Nov 92 11:42:22 GMT
Organization: University of Helsinki

UPDATING INFORMATION ON LANGUAGE TESTS:

In article <1992Nov22.183908.1@cc.helsinki.fi>, thietaniemi@cc.helsinki.fi writes:
> In article <1992Nov22.111426.7241@enea.se>, sommar@enea.se (Erland Sommarskog) 
>> John.Slatter@durham.ac.uk writes:
>>>As to the language tests, I was told when in Tallinn this August that
>>>they are composed in such a way that many Estonians could not pass them.
>>
>> Who told you? Estonians? Russians? Did you meet anyone who had tried
>> the tests, but failed?
> 
> I suspect that there existed any tests during August. The supreme soviet
> and the government of Estonia were still quarreling, which kind of linguistic
> abilities should be required from the applicants (500, 1000, 1500, 2000
> or 2500 words).
> 
> Accordingly, any information given about the nature of language tests in 
> August is deeply suspect.
> 
>> The way the citizenship law works it is very unlikely that anyone
>> has tried these tests yet. The law requires two years of residency
>> before you can apply, and then there is a one year waiting period
>> under which you must pass the langauge test. The two years of
>> residency is counted not from arrival but from a "day zero" in
>> March 1990. Thus, it will take some more time until we see what
>> the language test is worth.
>> --
>> Erland Sommarskog - ENEA Data, Stockholm - sommar@enea.se
> 
> You are almost right.
> 
> I got the information yesterday (still, not confirmed) that until this week, 
> the test in Estonian language was passed by 12000 individuals that will apply
> for citizenship (about 9000 of them were residents of Tallinn).
> 
> Another fact: some reactionary Russian groups are spreading nasty rumours
> about these tests, it is true. The very same people spread war propaganda
> about non-existent violence against the Jews in Estonia.
> 
> Still, I have not seen any test papers, yet. I will comment the issue when
> I get more information. Perhaps I prove my knowledge in Estonian and try to pass
> the test :) But there is no hurry - I have no reasons to expect
> that there were something wrong with these tests. Such a thing would deeply
> surprise me.
  

Sorry, I have to update and rectify my information. I got today e-mail from
the Estonian Academy of Sciences in Tallinn. It contained the following
information:

The naturalization law has not been passed yet: the problem is the language
test. Every talk about the naturalization law and the language tests
connected to it is still just idle gossip. The law is a hot political issue in 
the Estonian government and parliament. The outcome of the debate is
hard to predict.

But the parliament has passed a law that requires a language test
from non-Estonians if they desire to work in occupations where one has to 
communicate with Estonians. This kind of test has been passed by 12 000
non-Estonians - not the naturalization test (My apologies to Sommarskog).

However, there are six different levels in these tests, and only levels
e and f equal the linguistic competence of 1500 words - if the parliament
and government decide to require 1500 words from the applicants of citizenship 
(which is little bit too much, according to my humble opinion).


with best regards,
the observer
Tapani Hietaniemi, Universitas Helsingiensis
                   urbs fennorum