"Language demarcation" in Estonian prisons

Sat Apr 21 12:06:14 UTC 2012

This is a bizarre situation.  According to the article it was the initiative of the prisoners and not an official attempt to categorise prisoners according to linguistic ability.  Language policy is a fraught issue in the Baltic states and as far as I'm aware there is an attempt to eradicate the Russian language altogether (re: recent referendum in Latvia).  However the language issue transcends language and in effect is a sign of nationality and identity.  Maybe the prisoners want their identity and allegiances to be apparent to all in a way that gang members use tattoos?  Interestingly monolingual Russian speakers don't have any sign at all.
Anne Marie

Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:30:16 -0400
From: aisrael at AMERICAN.EDU
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] "Language demarcation" in Estonian prisons
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu

Since these are not political prisoners (I believe Estonia, unlike Russia, has none), I would like first to inquire if this marking has some practical purposes, such as having a non-Estonian speaking guard present when addressing these prisoners. After all I don't think Russian is any longer an obligatory language in Estonia.
Alina Israeli

On Apr 20, 2012, at 11:38 AM, Elena Gapova wrote:Deer SEELANGSers,   I am sharing an article on "language demarcation" (is this the right phrase?) which was posted in an Estonian web-journal:   ...некоторым заключенным на грудь добавили большую букву А, B или C. Эти буквы обозначали, насколько хорошо заключенные знают государственный язык. Русские, которые вообще не говорили по-эстонски, остались не обозначенными – им на грудь не повесили ничего. Те русские и заключенные других национальностей, которые чуть-чуть понимали по-эстонски, были обозначены буквой А. Заключенные, владеющие эстонским на среднем уровне, получили себе на грудь букву В. А эстонцам повесили на грудь букву С... http://www.dzd.ee/815170/sutrop-oboznachat-zakljuchennyh-bukvami-po-urovnju-vladenija-jazykom-vse-ravno-chto-veshat-evrejam-zvezdu-davida/   The comments to the article are also interesting.   Elena Gapova ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Alina IsraeliAssociate Professor of RussianLFS, American University4400 Massachusetts Ave.Washington DC 20016(202) 885-2387 	fax (202) 885-1076aisrael at american.edu

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