20 aastat lingvistikaolümpiaadi koos Renate Pajusaluga

Rahvusvaheline lingvistikaolümpiaad kutsuti ellu 2003. aastal. Eestis seati see sisse samal aastal tänu Renate Pajusalule, kes seda vedama asus. Siinne artikkel vaatabki tagasi 20-le lingvistikaolümpiaadi aastale ning Renate rollile selles, tehes seda Renate kaasteeliste pilgu läbi. Artiklis leiavad kajastust erinevad võistlusvoorud, aga ka olümpiaadi heaks tehtavad tegevused, nagu lingvistikalaagrid, koolikülastused ja lingvistikaseminarid. Ühtlasi ilmneb artiklist, et olümpiaad ja sellega seonduv on nende 20 aasta jooksul täitnud oma laiemat eesmärki: tuhanded õpilased on saanud aimu erisugustest maailma keeltest ja ka keeleteadusest. Abstract. Miina Norvik, Linda Freienthal, Olga Gerassimenko, Airika Harrik, Axel Jagau, Reeli Torn-Leesik, Külli Prillop: 20 years of linguistics Olympiad with Renate Pajusalu. The International Linguistics Olympiad was inaugurated in 2003. The corresponding Estonian national olympiad was established in the same year thanks to the efforts of Renate Pajusalu who became its chief organiser. The present article looks back on the role played by Professor Pajusalu in the history of the Estonian linguistics olympiad through the eyes of colleagues who have been part of the process. The text recalls the different stages of the contest, as well as various tasks preparing the olympiad such as linguistics retreats, school visits to introduce it, and linguistics seminars. It is clear that the 20 years of the olympiad and events associated with it have served its overall purpose well: thousands of school students have become aware of the diversity of the world’s languages and of the science of linguistics.