On the 9th of December a large-scale dictation writing in the Mari language was held in Mari El for the first time. Under the name "Marla Chyn Vozena" – «we write in Mari correctly» this occasion was devoted to Mari writing’s Day.

Dictation writing organizer was the Institute of national culture and cross-cultural communication of the Mari state university with the initiative of Finno-Ugric comparative philology MarSU chair.

Idea was picked up in “Mari El” newspaper editorial office where 20 people declared that they had a great desire to write a dictation. The text of a dictation was also sent to schools of Gornomariysky, Novotorjyalsky areas, to the city ofKozmodemyansk, Bashkortostan, to theKirovregion.

It is significant to note that eight people fromAustria– students of theViennaUniversityfrom different countries learning Finno-Ugric languages, including Mari, - also participated in"Marla Chyn Vozena". 

220 people gathered in MarSU to check themselves in knowledge of their native language, its new spelling and punctuation. The 9-year-old boy from school No. 2 of Ioshkar Ola was the youngest participant and 76-year-old MarSU professor – was the oldest. This action has united not only people of different age groups, but also ones of the different professions, of a different rank. For example, the deputy minister of Culture of Mari El, Mari women "Saskavy"Unionchairman Galina Shiryaeva joined dictation writing.

 Purpose of such action’s carrying out is drawing attention to native Mari language studying, and in particular, to its new spelling. Thus it is necessary to show a current state of the Mari language in republic:to show how it is learned in schools, higher educational institutions, to see if Mari language training continuity is carried out as native and as a state one at different grade levels. And it is very important that Mari people could estimate and understand their native language condition, need for its studying, informal and written language development. 

So, the assistant ofVolgaregion information systems’ chair of state technological university, teacher of Mari language in electronic information space of Finno-Ugric comparative philology chair of MarSU Vyacheslav Kileev also wrote a dictation.  He recently defended his dissertation connected with the linguistic software of automated Finno-Ugric languages’ grammar systems. Young scientist is engaged in studying of Mari language since 2009; before he lived inSurgutand practised Mari sometimes. Today Vyacheslav considers that knowledge of native language is very important.

As a result organizers plan to make general dictation writing a traditional action.

Elvira Kuklina, the journalist, the blogger - for the media center FINUGOR