Editing Estonian language (section)

===Estonian literature===
{{main article|Estonian literature}}
The earliest extant samples of connected (north) Estonian have been found in the [[Kullamaa Manuscript]] ("Kullamaa prayers") dating from 1524 and 1528.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kurman |first=George |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=owQBH74N8CIC |title=The Development of Written Estonian |date=1997 |publisher=RoutledgeCurzon |location=London |isbn=9780700708901}}</ref> In 1525, the first Estonian language book was printed. It contained a religious [[Lutheran]] text which, however, never reached its intended readers, as it was immediately censored and all printed copies were destroyed.

The first extant Estonian book is a bilingual German-Estonian translation of the [[Luther's Large Catechism|Lutheran catechism]] by S.{{nbsp}}Wanradt and J.{{nbsp}}Koell dating to 1535, during the [[Protestant Reformation]] period. An Estonian grammar book to be used by priests was printed in German in 1637.<ref>{{cite book |last=Dalby |first=Andrew |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CnckpL8auSIC |title=Dictionary of Languages: The Definitive Reference to More Than 400 Languages |date=2004 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=0-231-11569-5 |edition=rev. |location=New York |page=182}}</ref> The [[New Testament]] was translated into the variety of South Estonian called [[Võro language|Võro]] in 1686 (northern Estonian, 1715). The two languages were united based on Northern Estonian by [[Anton thor Helle]].

Writings in Estonian became more significant in the 19th century during the [[Estophilia#Estophile Enlightenment Period (1750–1840)|Estophile Enlightenment Period]] (1750–1840).

The birth of native Estonian literature was during the period 1810–1820, when the patriotic and philosophical poems by [[Kristjan Jaak Peterson]] were published. Peterson, who was the first student to acknowledge his Estonian origin at the then German-language [[University of Tartu|University of Dorpat]], is commonly regarded as a herald of [[Estonian literature|Estonian national literature]] and considered the founder of modern Estonian poetry. His birthday, March 14, is celebrated in [[Estonia]] as [[First language|Mother Tongue]] Day.<ref>{{cite book |last=O'Connor |first=Kevin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IpR0-OrrwssC&pg=PA126 |title=Culture and Customs of the Baltic States |date=2006 |publisher=Greenwood Press |isbn=0-313-33125-1 |location=Westport, CT |page=126}}</ref> A fragment from Peterson's poem "Kuu" expresses the claim reestablishing the birthright of the Estonian language:

:''Kas siis selle maa keel''
:''Laulutuules ei või''
:''Taevani tõustes üles''
:''Igavikku omale otsida?''

In English:
:''Can the language of this land''
:''In the wind of incantation''
:''Rising up to the heavens''
:''Not seek for eternity?''
:::''Kristjan Jaak Peterson''
	
In the period from 1525 to 1917, 14,503 titles were published in Estonian; by comparison, between 1918 and 1940, 23,868 titles were published.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Translation into Estonian – Ivextrans |url=https://www.ivextrans.eu/translated-languages/translation-into-estonian/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=www.ivextrans.eu}}</ref>

In modern times [[A. H. Tammsaare]], [[Jaan Kross]],<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?as_q=&num=20&btnG=Google+Search&&as_auth=Jaan+Kross Jaan Kross] at Google Books</ref> and [[Andrus Kivirähk]]<!--[[Jaan Kaplinski]]<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?as_q=&num=20&btnG=Google+Search&&as_auth=Jaan+Kaplinski Jaan Kaplinski] at Google Books</ref> and [[Viivi Luik]]--> are [[Estonia]]'s best-known and most translated writers.

Estonians lead the world in book ownership, owning on average 218 books per house, and 35% of Estonians owning 350 books or more (as of 2018).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Zhou |first=Naaman |date=2018-10-12 |title=Novel news: world's biggest bookworms revealed in study |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/oct/12/the-more-books-in-a-house-the-brighter-your-childs-future-study-finds |access-date=2024-09-13 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} </ref>