Mulgi language

Mulgi (Estonian: mulgi keel, South Estonian (including Mulgi): mulgi kiilʼ) is a dialect of South Estonian spoken in Estonia. The 2021 Estonian census counted 13,960 speakers.

Not to be confused with Mulgi language (Chad).

Mulgi
mulgi kiilʼ
Native to	Estonia
Region	Mulgimaa
Ethnicity	Mulgis [et]
Native speakers	13,960 (2021)[1]
Language family	Uralic Finno-Ugric Finnic South Estonian Mulgi
Language codes
ISO 639-3	–
Map of South Estonian languages, with Mulgi.

Usage

Mulgi is spoken only by the older generation, as children are taught in standard Estonian, and parents do not pass Mulgi down to their children.^[2]

The Mulgi Cultural Institute [et] (Mulgi Kultuuri Instituut) operated from 1934 to 1940, and also since 1989. It produces, publishes and distributes productions in Mulgi (tales, nursery rhymes, and songs).^[3]

A Mulgi newspaper is printed irregularly.

Two notable Mulgi writers are August Kitzberg (1855-1927) and Nikolai Baturin (1936-2019).