Graphic warnings on packages of sigaretid aka suitsud (“smokes”) are nothing new, but most likely the texts in Estonian are… The sticker on the top is proof that these are not sala/sigaretid or “secret cigarettes”, i.e. have not been illegally smuggled, (a major problem at the Russian border) and are subject to the tobacco excise tax or tubaka/aktsiisi/maks from which Eesti Kultuur/kapital or the Cultural Endowment of Estonia gets a percentage. Photo: Riina Kindlam
So far, sigareti/pakid in Eesti do not yet have pilt/hoiatused (picture-based warnings), but rather teksti/hoiatused (text-based warnings). This one states: smoking constricts arteries and causes heart attacks and strokes.
To become ahtaks is the same as kitsaks = to narrow – related to the verb ahistama = to harrass. Ahendab artereid = constricts arteries.
A heart attack is either a südame/rabandus or (südame) INFARKT– from the English infarction or tissue death caused by a local lack of oxygen, due to an obstruction of the tissue’s blood supply. In Estonian that’s: vere juurde/voolu lakkamisest tingitud elundi (organ) või selle osa kärbus; südame/lihase ehk müokardi infarkt.
Aju = brain and rabandus = järsk eluohtlik haigus/sööst (näit. insult, südame/infarkt). If you are rabatud by something, it strikes and surprises you. “Ma olin sellest töö/pakkumisest täiesti rabatud” – I was completely taken aback by that job offer. Another expression is to be “jalust rabatud” – struck right off your feet (in surprise). Tööd rabama means to work like crazy, thresh like mad. A medical stroke also strikes and surprises. Aju/rabandus = stroke, kuuma/rabandus = heat stroke and südame/rabandus = heart attack.
A raba is a bog; an environment in which if you get stuck in the sphagnum or peat (turvas), you must use your rabamise (exersion) and rabelemise (thrashing) skills to get out…
A butt is a koni. To smoke (slang) is tossama (to billow, like from a smokestack). Lighter = tule/masin, a light or fire “machine” or välgu/mihkel, “spark, or lightning Mihkel”, and also a jackson or “jacks”. If you want a light, you ask “Kas sul TULD on? Ma vajaksin tuld”, I need a light. Or why not an entire fire, since tuli means both.
An interesting fact: cigarette packets in Australia have undergone significant change. Since 1 December 2012 all forms of branding logos, colours, and promotional texts are banned from cigarette pack designs. In turn they were replaced with drab dark brown packets and graphic images of smoking-related images to try to reduce the smoking population of Australia to 10% by 2018 from 15% in 2012. Australia is currently the only country in the world to have plain packaging cigarette packs. (Source: Wikipedia.)
I resolve… Ma luban teha suitsudega lõpp/arve – to quit smoking. Here literally “to sign my final bill with smokes”. Otherwise the chances of receiving another kind of final bill or resolution are immense. Hoidke endid. Take care of yourselves, for you are loved and needed.
Riina Kindlam,
Tallinn
