Study: stereotype of the Americanized Estonian linked to identity protection
University of Tartu doctoral student Martin Nõmm concluded in a study that the image of the Americanized Estonian has become an established stereotype in Estonian culture. Through it, society expresses fears about the disappearance of the Estonian language and identity, ERR News reports.
Stereotype in culture
Nõmm analyzed Estonian cultural texts, from diaspora literature of the 1950s to contemporary media and social networks. According to the analysis, the comic stereotype changed over time but retained its main features.
Older diaspora plays and films depicted young people seeking American-style prosperity and speaking a mixed English-Estonian language known as Estonglish. In independent Estonia, examples of this image included the character Tor-Björn Margna from the television series “Õnne 13” and the naive social media character “Älice megaa põnev elu.”
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Humor and politics
The study also indicates that this image was used as a political tool. In particular, media outlets and satirical programs repeatedly emphasized the foreign accent of former Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves. On one occasion, he was depicted with Mickey Mouse ears.
According to Nõmm, the phenomenon can be explained by social dynamics and superiority humor. The clash of two cultural spheres creates dissonance, while laughter at Estonian spoken with a foreign accent can serve as a defensive mechanism. In the researcher’s assessment, this helps local residents strengthen their sense of belonging amid the influence of Western pop culture and the English language. The results were published in the journal Keel ja Kirjandus.
