This article empirically evaluates a new mathematical model of ethnolinguistic vitality, according to which ethnolinguistic vitality hinges on (a) the perceived cultural weight of one's own community as compared to the weight of an other relevant community;(b) perceived community intergroup distance and (c ) the amount of utilitarianism in the examined community. The model is applied for the vitality assessment of the minority Võro language, closely related to Estonian.