In 1739, the Bible was published in Estonian; it helped establish North Estonian as the dominant written standard and shaped the language that would become central to national identity.
In 1739, a modest book appeared in Tallinn. Few people beyond Estonia are likely to have heard of it. It was called Piibli Ramat, roughly “Bible Book”. It was neither the first religious text in Estonian nor the first attempt to write the language. But it was the first complete translation of the Bible into Estonian, with far-reaching consequences for the language and culture.
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