Johannes Aavik

Johannes Aavik (8. detsember 1880 Randvere küla, Laimjala vald, Saaremaa – 18. märts 1973 Stockholm), kes  oli eesti keele­teadlane. Kures­saares sai alguse J. Aaviku huvi emakeele vastu ning prantsuse ja ladina keele harrastus. Keele­õpinguid jätkas ta Tartu Ülikoolis, Nežini Ajaloo- ja Filoloogia­instituudis ja Helsingi ülikoolis.

Ta oli aastatel 1926–1934 Tartu üli­koolis eesti keele lektor ja gümnaasiumi­õpetaja Tartus, 1934. aastast koolide pea­inspektor, 1940–1941 kirjastuses toimetaja. 1944. aastal emigreerus Rootsi, kus tegutses Stock­holmis arhiivi­töötajana, tõlkijana, keele­artiklite ja kooli­raamatute autorina.

Aavikule kuulub tähele­panu­väärne koht eesti kirja­keele kujunda­misel. 1912. aastal algatas ta keele­uuendusliikumise. Propageerides kirjakeele arendamist ja keele ilu printsiipi, esindas ta keele­korralduse radikaalsemat suunda.

Ta oli Noor-Eesti rühmituse aktiivsemaid liikmeid, selle albumites ilmusid tema keele‑ ja kirjandusartiklid, tõlked, värsi­katsetused ja 1909. aastal J. Randvere varjunime all estetistliku programmiga jutustus „Ruth”.

Johannes Aavik

Johannes Aavik (born 8 December 1880 in Randvere village, Laimjala rural municipality, Saaremaa – died 18 March 1973 in Stockholm), who was an Estonian linguist. His interest towards his mother tongue as well as his practice of French and Latin languages emerged already in Kures­saare. He continued with language studies in the University of Tartu, in the Historical and Philological Institute in Nezin as well as in the University of Helsinki.

In the years 1926–1934, he was a lecturer of Estonian in the University of Tartu and a high school teacher in Tartu; from 1934, he was the chief inspector of schools; in 1940–1941, an editor in a publishing house. In 1944, he emigrated for Sweden, where he worked as an archive worker, translator and author of linguistic articles and school books in Stockholm. 

Aavik has a remarkable place in designing the Estonian written word. In 1912, he initiated a neology (language renewal) movement. He represented a more radical view of language planning by promoting the development of written word and the principle of beauty in language. He was one of the more active members of the Young Estonia; its albums published his linguistic and literary articles, translations, poetry endeavours and in 1909, his aestheticism-based story “Ruth” under his alias J. Randvere.