tädi Maali

Literally, “Aunt Maali” (Maali being an old-fashioned female given name). Coined by the first post-Soviet President of the Republic of Estonia (1992–2001) Lennart Meri, in an interview with Postimees titled “Euroliit tuleb teha tädi Maalile arusaadavaks [The European Union has to be made clear to Aunt Maali]” (2001).

• IPA^(key): /ˈtæd̥i ˈmɑˑli/, [ˈtæd̥ʲi ˈmɑˑlʲi]
• Rhymes: -ɑˑli
• Hyphenation: tä‧di, Maa‧li

tädi Maali (genitive tädi Maali, partitive tädi Maalit)

1. (idiomatic, humorous) A stereotypical simple-minded Estonian woman; the personification of a lower-than-average-income Estonian citizen, who does not keep up with innovations and tends to belong to the older generation.
   • 2001 March 28, “Euroliit tuleb teha tädi Maalile arusaadavaks [The European Union has to be made clear to Aunt Maali]”, in Postimees:

     […] valitsus on sunnitud suure osa ajast pühendama iseenese õigustamisele ja seetõttu jääb vähem aega Euroopa Liidu eeliste selgitamiseks lihtsas keeles, mis oleks arusaadav ka tädi Maalile.

     […] the government is forced to devote much of its time to self-justification, leaving less time to explain the benefits of the European Union in simple terms, so that even Aunt Maali can understand.

• onu Heino

• Pihtiputaan mummo

• tädi Maali in Sõnaveeb (Eesti Keele Instituut)