Mati Erelt (12 March 1941 – 12 October 2024) was an Estonian linguist. Erelt was born in

Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...

. In 1965 he graduated from the

University of Tartu The University of Tartu (UT; ; ) is a public research university located in the city of Tartu, Estonia. It is the national university of Estonia. It is also the largest and oldest university in the country.

with a degree in Estonian language and literature. He defended his doctoral dissertation there in 1981. From 1989 until 1991 he was a professor at

Tallinn Pedagogical Institute Tallinn University (TLU; , ''TLÜ'') is a public research university in Estonia. Located in the centre of Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia, Tallinn University is one of the three largest institutions of higher education in the country. Both Q ...

. From 1991 to 1995 he was a visiting professor at the Chair of Finno-Ugric Languages at the

University of Helsinki The University of Helsinki (, ; UH) is a public university in Helsinki, Finland. The university was founded in Turku in 1640 as the Royal Academy of Åbo under the Swedish Empire, and moved to Helsinki in 1828 under the sponsorship of Alexander ...

, and from 1995 to 2006 he was a professor at the Chair of Estonian at the University of Tartu. He was later Professor Emeritus at the University of Tartu as well as a Senior Research Fellow. From 1997 until 2006 he was the chairman of

Mother Tongue Society Mother Tongue Society () is an Estonian organization that focuses on topics related to the Estonian language. The organization was established on 23 March 1920 at Tartu University. Today, the organization is located in Tallinn. The organization i ...

. Erelt was married to linguist Tiiu Erelt. He died on 12 October 2024, at the age of 83.

Awards

* 2005:

Order of the White Star The Order of the White Star (; ) was instituted in 1936. The Order of the White Star is bestowed on Estonian citizens and foreigners to give recognition for services rendered to the Estonian state. Design Classes The Order of the White Star ...

, IV class * 2006: Medal of

Estonian Academy of Sciences Founded in 1938, the Estonian Academy of Sciences (, ) is Estonia's national academy of science in Tallinn. As with other national academies, it is an independent group of well-known scientists whose stated aim is to promote research and develo ...

* 2006: Big Medal of Tartu University () * 2008:

Wiedemann Language Award Wiedemann Language Award (, full name The State F. J. Wiedemann Language Award) is an Estonian state award which is granted each year to one natural person for outstanding merits upon study, organisation, teaching, promotion or use of the Estonia ...

References

1941 births 2024 deaths Linguists from Estonia University of Tartu alumni Academic staff of the University of Tartu Academic staff of Tallinn University Recipients of the Order of the White Star, 4th Class {{Estonia-academic-bio-stub