Tartu language

{{Short description|Variety of South Estonian spoken in Tartu}}

{{Sources exist|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox language

| name = Tartu

| familycolor = Uralic

| fam2 = Finnic

| fam3 = South Estonian

| fam4 = Ugala

| fam5 = Ugandi

| speakers = 17,310

| date = 2021 census

| ref = {{Cite web |title=RL21446: POPULATION WITH ESTONIAN AS THEIR MOTHER TONGUE BY ABILITY TO SPEAK A DIALECT, AGE GROUP, SEX, AND PLACE OF RESIDENCE (ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT), 31 DECEMBER 2021 |url=https://andmed.stat.ee/pxweb/en/stat/stat__rahvaloendus__rel2021__rahvastiku-demograafilised-ja-etno-kultuurilised-naitajad__voorkeeleoskus-murded/RL21446.px/ |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=PxWeb |language=en}}

| states = Estonia

| nativename = {{lang|vro|tartu kiil}}
{{lang|vro|tarto kiil}}

| stand1 = South Estonian literary language

| dia1 = Sangaste-Karula

| dia2 = Puhja-Rannu

| dia3 = Võnnu-Kambja

| dia4 = Tartu-Maarja

| dia5 = Otepää

| region = Tartumaa

| map = South Estonian today.PNG

| mapcaption = Linguistic map of southern Estonia. Tartu is found north of the Võro-speaking area.

| script = Latin script

| glotto = tart1244

| map2 = File:Tartu.png

| mapcaption2 = Distribution of Tartu speakers according to the 2021 census.

| isoexception = dialect

}}

The Tartu dialect (Estonian: {{Lang|et|tartu keel}}) is a dialect of South Estonian spoken in Estonia, near the city of Tartu. It bears similarities to Mulgi, particularly the Tarvastu and Helme varieties. It has historically, along with northern Võro, been the basis for the South Estonian literary language.{{Cite book |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/83597663.pdf |title=Estonian language |date=2007 |publisher=Estonian Academy Publishers |isbn=978-9985-50-399-7 |editor-last=Erelt |editor-first=Mati |edition=2nd |series=Linguistica Uralica. Supplementary series |location=Tallinn |oclc=321053986}}{{sfn|Velsker|2015}}