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EESTI ELU reedel, 18. detsembril 2020 — Friday, December 18, 2020
Language Lounge: Talking is Silver, Silence is Golden Vincent Teetsov “Rääkimine hõbe, vaikimine kuld.” Of all vanasõnad (pro verbs or sayings) out there in the Estonian language, this one is very common. It’s found itself on the cover of a book by Ivo Juurvee, about the protection of state secrets in the first era of independent Estonia. In an English lan guage context, “Silence is Golden” is also common. It was a B-Side for Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and became a knockout pop hit in 1967 for The Tremeloes. A bit funny considering the title. The most direct English translation of the phrase is said to be first displayed in the 1830s by Scottish writer and philosopher Thomas Carlyle in his novel Sartor Resartus. Carlyle said “As the Swiss Inscription says: Sprecfien ist silbern, Schweigen ist golden (Speech is silver, Silence is golden); or as I might rather express it: Speech is of Time, Silence is of Eternity.” Evidently, this saying, or at
least the latter part, is shared across cultures. But is there something uniquely Estonian about this concept of measured verbal communication? Estonians, along with Finns and other Nordic people, are well-known for their comfort with quiet. There’s no such thing as an “awkward silence”, as we often hear mentioned in films, TV, and maybe even our own conversations. In North America, we’ve come to dread what is implied by silence. Dis approval. Contempt. Judgment. One possible explanation for cultural quiet is climate. If you happen to see a friend on the street and do a “stop and chat”, you’re less likely to linger if it’s brisk outside. It’s reason enough to get to the point and keep moving with your arms clenched against your sides for warmth. What words are used will be uttered with smaller mouth shapes, creating pronunciation variations as time goes by. In a balmy place, you can stay out as long as you like. Volume, movement, and bois-
Christmas 2020 is different! Dear family and friends. Please read this to your nearest and dearest when you gather for Christmas. It is the Christmas of novel corona virus – Covid-19. It is the Christmas of restrictions and lockdown in Toronto. Families cannot gather for Christmas dinner and cele brations. Few are lucky and are to-
gether. Many people are alone. People cannot go out for their Christmas shopping. Many shops have been ordered closed. You have to keep a distance of two meters of fellow human beings and wear a mask. Many stores and restaurants are telephone orders and pick up only. Many are worried about their work, paycheck, roof over their head and even next dinner.
A message of peace and hope for the holidays and new year As this year comes to a close, it’s a fitting time to reflect with gratitude on how our community has come together to keep spirits strong and move forward to a bright future. Plans for International Estonian Centre (IEC) – our new home in downtown Toronto that will welcome Estonians locally and from around the world – continue to gather momentum. We have accomplished a great deal in the past 12 months, despite local and global challenges. There are so many strong teams of people and individuals who are making this happen: community volunteers and members who have taken time to provide ideas and input into how the new centre will be designed and operate; project volunteers, IEC leadership and consultants, City of Toronto staff and politicians. We also keep close in our hearts the accomplishments and vision of our parents and grandparents who planted the seeds that would allow the Estonian community to grow and prosper. Their spirit is what has enabled us to get to this point, and will continue to propel us as plans progress. Major milestones have been
reached: the sale of the Broadview land assembly (site of the current Estonian House), completion of the detailed design drawings and application to the City of Toronto for the IEC’s Building Permit. The Capital Campaign is going strong, with approximately $6 million raised from our generous donors. Thank you! This would not happen without you. The next instrumental phase of the campaign – Kungla Rahvas – will be launched in 2021. The new year will herald the IEC’s ground-breaking! When the shovel hits the ground, it will be thanks to everyone – past and present – who has carried a deep commitment to ensuring the Estonian spirit remains strong and vibrant for generations to come. Wishing you a beautiful Christmas filled with kindness and gratitude, health and energy, optimism and hope. Let’s keep in touch! • Visit our website www.estoniancentre.ca for regular updates • Sign up for our monthly email newsletter at www.estoniancentre.ca • Follow us on Facebook: @ EestiKeskus
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Silence is the buffer between introductions and trusting another person. When your peers are evaluated for their trust worthiness, they are allowed to know things that are private. If you are spoken to, you must have earned it. Friends are won, not acquired freely. Photo: settleinestonia.ee
terous facial expressions all play their part. But then there is silence indoors, too. Maybe words are withheld unless they are deemed truly valuable to the recipient. Silence then becomes like precious gold coins that we give to strangers. Why smile at someone in a store if that smile isn’t real? Why say “have a nice day!” if you truly don’t hope their day is a nice one? I distinctly recall conducting an entire transaction at a store in Tallinn’s vanalinn without so much as a peep. Head nods and muted grunts were enough to convey “hello”, “the total is 20 Euros”, “debit please”, “thank you”, and “goodbye.” In our heads, it was already established that I wanted to purchase something, that they could sell it, and that I could pay. Seamless.
So many are sick, many have caught the Mr. Nasty – Covid 19, especially older people in nursing homes. Let us take a moment and think about it all. WE HAVE SO MUCH STILL TO BE THANKFUL FOR. We have our health. We have a roof over our heads and a warm room. We have food on our table, we are not hungry. There is no fear of falling bombs. So instead of thinking what we could not do or what we do not have LET US COUNT OUR BLESSINGS AND REJOICE. I remember Christmas 1944 as a refugee in war-torn Germany. It was so different. We did not worry about what we did not have. We had our family of five together. It was Christmas Eve. We had just arrived by train in the town of Bützow in Mecklen burg state in northern Germany, from southern Germany, with a stopover and a warm bowl of soup and half a nights sleep in Berlin. No bombings that night! It was late at night when we arrived, around 10 pm or later. We left our two suitcases in the locked area of the station and walked, with Tom in the baby carriage, from the train station to a “Gasthaus”, a small hotel in town which was about 1.5 to 2 km. away. After two days of travel on the overcrowded trains we must have been a sorry sight. A little reluctantly, as I remember, the manager found us a small room with a double bed. I do not remember eating! We must have grabbed something from the kiosk at the
T’was a month before Christmas T’was a month before Christmas, And all through the town, People wore masks, That covered their frown.
However, silence is not a means unto itself. Rather, it’s a means to the end of listening, which makes conversations work better. It means we’re opening our wavelengths for contemplation and purposeful responses. It’s quite fitting then that one recent children’s ESL (that is, Estonian as a Second Language) program has been titled Rääkimine hõbe, kuula mine kuld (“Talking is silver, listening is gold”). Just as it’s helpful for our minds when learning a new language, loosening up and listening is beneficial to social situations, too.
The frown had begun Way back in the Spring, When a global pandemic Changed everything.
This saying shouldn’t be seen as glossing over an entire exuberant, extroverted segment of the Estonian population. Yet, it shows that even the biggest fans of conversation can relish in moments of silence.
As the world entered lockdown To flatten the curve, The economy halted, And folks lost their verve.
station, if it was still open at this late hour. Besides everything was rationed and you needed your coupons to buy even bare necessities. There was no heat in the room. Hot water bottles were warming up the bed which was covered with a wonderfully warm down comforter. The four of us crowded onto the bed. Tom slept in the baby carriage. We had arrived at our destination. We stayed there for a couple of nights. Where did we eat or what we ate – do not remember. Our Christmas gift was having a place to sleep. After the holidays Dad was able to contact the people he was to see. We had undertaken the long journey from south to north on faith and trust. Dad had a letter from his German boss in Estonia to somebody in a workshop in Bützow. This is a good man and worker. Hire him! Christmas blessing – he was hired. So to those who are able to gather together – rejoice in your good fortune. Modern communication helps you to keep in touch with those who cannot be with you this day. Those who spend the holidays alone, due to Covid-19 or various other reasons – this too will pass. Think about your blessings. HAVE PEACE IN YOUR HEART FOR CHRISTMAS AND A HEALTHY NEW YEAR. With much LOVE and BIG HUGS to everybody. VANAEMA
They called it corona, But unlike the beer, It didn’t bring good times, It didn’t bring cheer. Contagious and deadly, This virus spread fast, Like a wildfire that starts When fueled by gas. Airplanes were grounded, Travel was banned. Borders were closed Across air, sea and land.
From March to July We rode the first wave, People stayed home, They tried to behave. When summer emerged The lockdown was lifted. But away from caution, Many folks drifted. Now it’s November And cases are spiking, Wave two has arrived, Much to our disliking. Frontline workers, Doctors and nurses, Try to save people, From riding in hearses. This virus is awful, This COVID-19. There isn’t a cure. We can’t get vaccine. It’s true that this year Has had sadness aplenty, We’ll never forget The year 2020. And just ‘round the corner – The holiday season, But why be merry? Is there even one reason? To decorate the house And put up the tree, When no one will see it, No-one but me. But outside my window The snow gently falls, And I think to myself, Let’s deck the halls! So, I gather the ribbon, The garland and bows, As I play those old carols, My happiness grows. Christmas ain’t cancelled And neither is hope. If we lean on each other, I know we can cope. Author unknown
