Bilingualism and Bureaucratism^*

Abstract

In its 6th and 7th issues last year, “Rainbow” published an article by the linguist Mati Hint entitled “The Problems of Bilingualism: A View Without Rose-tinted Glasses.” The article, which examines the problems of bilingualism, provoked a debate which went far beyond the boundaries not only of Estonia and bilingualism, but according to many beyond the boundaries of permissibility. We know that the problem of bilingualism in the nationalities republics is a highly acute one, but we did not expect such an avalanche of responses…. Mati Hint's article continued its “religious procession through the country, eliciting more and more responses from people of feeling and conscience from all the corners of our country. In their responses people write “Rainbow” about their innermost concerns—about their people and about their native tongue. Today we received letters fom Moscow, Georgia, Armenia, Belorussia, Latvia, Lithuania, Chuvash, etc. The journal “Peoples' Friendship” ordered our writer Mati Hint to write an article about the problems of bilingualism.