Names
Ronga (Ronk)
Also known as Kaaren (see Kaarna), the common raven, or just plain raven, or corbie, Corvus corax. Name of Baltic-Finnish origin, cognate of Livonian kronk and related to both Livvi-Karelian kronkuttua and Lithuanian krankti, to croak. Why a language obsessed with the letter ‘k’ (about 15% of Estonian words begin with this) would drop it is curious. Part of the Lilleküla bird-name group of streets. See also Rähni.
Rõngasjärv (0)
Ring lake, due to its not quite circular shape with a not quite circular island in the middle. Name officialised in 2023 despite numerous votes for naming it after Ants Antson, Estonian speed skater, who – legend has it – used to skate around it, or for whom the ring was dug… Rõngas, incidentally, seems to be a 5000-year-old loan from Germanic. No street, just a lake.
Roo (Roog)
Given the street-zone: reed, cane, or suchlike material used for thatching. Also designates the rasping final note of a cockcrow (that’s Doo to you) and, for rood:roo, fishbone or bony framework of the nose (yes, they have a word for that). Part of a fodder and staples street-name group. See Söödi. Formerly Alberti 1910-1939, presumably after Albert Koba (see Timuti).
