Icelandic language

Icelandic is the language spoken by most people in Iceland, with around 390,000 speakers worldwide. It belongs to the North Germanic language family and is closely related to Faroese, western Norwegian dialects, and the ancient language Norn. Unlike other Scandinavian languages such as Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish, Icelandic remains quite unique and is not easy for them to understand.

What makes Icelandic special is how it has stayed close to its old forms. Many languages have simplified their grammar, but Icelandic still uses a system with four cases and many irregular patterns, much like German but even more preserved. The words in Icelandic also change less from other languages, with special rules to create new terms from old Icelandic roots instead of borrowing words directly.

Besides Iceland, Icelandic is also spoken by small communities in Denmark, the United States, and Canada, especially in an area called New Iceland in Manitoba settled by Icelandic people in the 1880s. The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies works to protect old Icelandic books and study the language, while the Icelandic Language Council gives advice on language rules. Every year on November 16, Iceland celebrates Icelandic Language Day to honor the birthday of poet Jónas Hallgrímsson.

Classification

See also: Germanic languages

Icelandic is an Indo-European language and belongs to the North Germanic group of the Germanic languages. It is a West Scandinavian language and comes from an earlier language called Old Norse, which later changed into Old Icelandic and is now Modern Icelandic. The big change from old to modern Icelandic happened around the year 1540.

History

Main article: History of Icelandic

Around 900 CE, people from the Faroe Islands brought their language, called Old Norse, with them when they settled in Iceland. These settlers were from many places, including Scandinavia and areas around the Irish Sea, Orkney, and Shetland.

The oldest Icelandic writings date from around 1100. They include famous stories called the sagas, which were originally shared orally and later written down. These stories are written in Old Icelandic, a type of Old Norse. Even though Iceland was ruled by Denmark from 1536 to 1918, the everyday language of the people stayed mostly the same.

Modern Icelandic has changed a bit over time, especially in how words sound, but written Icelandic looks much like it did over a thousand years ago. Today, Icelanders can still read and understand the old sagas and poems with some help from modern spelling and notes.

Legal status and recognition

In 2011, Parliament made Icelandic the official language of Iceland. Public services must make sure people can use Icelandic everywhere in the country.

Iceland is part of the Nordic Council, but the council mainly uses Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish. Since 1987, under the Nordic Language Convention, Icelanders can use their language when dealing with officials in other Nordic countries, like hospitals or police offices, without paying for translation. However, this isn’t widely known, and many Icelanders use English instead because it is commonly understood.

Phonology

Main article: Icelandic phonology

Consonants

All sounds in Icelandic that stop, like the middle sound in "top," have no voice and can be told apart by adding a puff of air. These sounds sound different depending on where they appear in a word.

Some sounds change based on their position in a word. For example, the sound at the end of a word often sounds rougher.

Vowels

Icelandic has 8 single vowel sounds and 5 sounds made by mixing two vowels together. These mixed sounds are formed by taking a single vowel and adding either the sound "i" or "u" to it. Each vowel can be said with a long or short sound; vowels in words that are open are long, and vowels in words that are closed are short.

Grammar

Main article: Icelandic grammar

Icelandic has many old grammar rules from other ancient Germanic languages. It is a language where words change a lot to show their meaning, with four ways to show a word’s role: nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive. Nouns can be masculine, feminine, or neuter and follow certain patterns when their endings change.

Verbs change to show time, mood, and more. They can be active, passive, or middle. The usual order of words in a sentence is subject-verb-object, but because words change so much, the order can be moved around in poems. However, the verb usually comes second in a sentence.

Vocabulary

Main articles: Icelandic vocabulary and Icelandic name

Icelandic words come mostly from Old Norse, with a few from Celtic languages from when people first lived there. When Iceland became Christian in the 11th century, new words were needed for religious ideas. Many of these came from other Scandinavian languages, like kirkja meaning "church".

Words from French, German, and other languages also entered Icelandic over time. In the late 1700s, Iceland began a movement to protect its language. Today, Iceland often creates new words from older Icelandic roots instead of borrowing them.

Icelandic names show the father or mother of a person, not a family name. For example, a boy might be named Jonsson, meaning "Jon's son". In 2019, Iceland allowed people who do not identify as male or female to use the ending -bur, meaning "child of", instead of -son or -dóttir.

Language policy

Iceland values keeping its language pure in writing and spelling. This idea is important to many people in Iceland, even though they may use other languages in everyday speech.

Linguistic purism

Main article: Linguistic purism in Icelandic

Since the 1500s, people in Iceland have talked about keeping their language pure. In the 1800s, they brought written Icelandic closer to how people spoke. Today, Iceland still tries to create new words for modern ideas using old Icelandic roots.

Writing system

Main articles: Icelandic orthography and Icelandic Braille

The Icelandic alphabet has three special letters not found in the English alphabet: Þ, þ, Ð, ð, and Æ, æ. These letters help make the sounds unique to the language. For example, þ and ð make the “th” sounds like in “thin” and “this,” and æ makes a sound like in “ride.”

The alphabet also includes letters with marks above them, like á and ö, which are treated as separate letters. The letter é took the place of je in 1929, though it was used long before that. The letter z was once part of the alphabet but was removed in 1973 and is rarely used today except in some names.

Sample

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Here is a sample of Article 1 from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Icelandic. There are two main versions. This one is from the United Nations website and a book made together by the Icelandic Human Rights Office and Iceland's Ministry of foreign affairs. The first line shows the written version, the second line shows how it sounds using special letters, and the third line explains the words.

Grein

ˈkreiːn-∅

Article-N.SG.DF

1:

ˈʔei-ht ||

one-NT.N.SG:

Allir

ˈʔatl-ɪr

All-N.PL.IDF

eru

ɛr-ʏ

be\PRS.IND-3PL

bornir

ˌpɔ(r)-tnɪr̥‿

born-M.N.PL.IDF

frjálsir

ˈfrjauls-ɪr

free-M.N.PL.IDF

og

ɔ

and

jafnir

ˈjapn-ɪr

equal-M.N.PL.IDF

öðrum

ˌœðr-ʏm |

(an)other\-D.PL

að

a

in terms of

virðingu

ˈvɪrð.iŋk-ʏ

respect-D.SG.IDF

og

ɔ

and

réttindum.

ˈrjɛhtɪnt-ʏm ||

rights-D.IDF .

Allir

ˈʔatl-ɪr

All-N.PL.IDF

eru

ɛr-ʏ

be\PRS.IND-3PL

gæddir

ˌkaitː-ɪr̥‿

endowed-M.N.PL.IDF

skynsemi

ˈscɪn.sɛm-ɪ

rea.son-D.IDF

og

ɔ

and

samvisku

ˈsaɱ‿.vɪsk-ʏ |

con.science-D.IDF

og

ɔ

and

ber að

ˈpɛːr-∅ a

be.to-PRS.IMP.SHRT

breyta

ˌpreit-a

behave-INF

bróðurlega

ˈprouːðʏr.ˌlɛɣ-a

brother.ly-ADV

hverjum

ˈkʰvɛr-jʏɱ‿

each-D.PL

við

vɪð

with

annan.

ˈanː-an

(an)other-MA.A.SG .

Grein 1: Allir eru bornir frjálsir og jafnir öðrum að virðingu og réttindum. Allir eru gæddir skynsemi og samvisku og {ber að} breyta bróðurlega hverjum við annan.

ˈkreiːn-∅ {ˈʔei-ht ||} ˈʔatl-ɪr ɛr-ʏ ˌpɔ(r)-tnɪr̥‿ ˈfrjauls-ɪr ɔ ˈjapn-ɪr {ˌœðr-ʏm |} a ˈvɪrð.iŋk-ʏ ɔ {ˈrjɛhtɪnt-ʏm ||} ˈʔatl-ɪr ɛr-ʏ ˌkaitː-ɪr̥‿ ˈscɪn.sɛm-ɪ ɔ {ˈsaɱ‿.vɪsk-ʏ |} ɔ {ˈpɛːr-∅ a} ˌpreit-a ˈprouːðʏr.ˌlɛɣ-a ˈkʰvɛr-jʏɱ‿ vɪð ˈanː-an

Article-N.SG.DF one-NT.N.SG: All-N.PL.IDF be\PRS.IND-3PL born-M.N.PL.IDF free-M.N.PL.IDF and equal-M.N.PL.IDF (an)other\-D.PL {in terms of} respect-D.SG.IDF and {rights-D.IDF .} All-N.PL.IDF be\PRS.IND-3PL endowed-M.N.PL.IDF rea.son-D.IDF and con.science-D.IDF and be.to-PRS.IMP.SHRT behave-INF brother.ly-ADV each-D.PL with {(an)other-MA.A.SG .}

Article 1: All [humans] are born free and equal from another in terms of respect and rights. All are endowed with conscience and reason and are to behave brotherly with one another.

The second version by the United Nations Information Centre of Denmark is found on the OHCHR website.

Grein

ˈkreiːn-∅

Article-N.SG.DF

1:

ˈʔei-ht ||

one-NT.N.SG:

Hver

ˈkʰvɛːr-∅

each-MA.N.SG

maður

ˈmaːð-ʏr

person-N.SG.IDF

er

ɛ(r)-∅

be\PRS.IND-3SG

borinn

ˌpɔr-ɪn

born-M.N.SG.IDF

frjáls

ˈfrjauls-∅

free-M.N.SG.IDF

og

ɔ

and

jafn

ˈjapn-∅

equal-M.N.SG.IDF

öðrum

ˌœðr-ʏm |

(an)other\-D.PL

að

a

in terms of

virðingu

ˈvɪrð.iŋk-ʏ

respect-D.SG.IDF

og

ɔ

and

réttindum.

ˈrjɛhtɪnt-ʏm ||

rights-D.IDF .

Menn

ˈmɛnː

People\N.PL.IDF

eru

ɛr-ʏ

be\PRS.IND-3PL

gæddir

ˌkaitː-ɪr̥‿

endowed-M.N.PL.IDF

vitsmunum

ˈvɪts.mʏn-ʏm

intel.ligence(s)-D.IDF

og

ɔ

and

samvi[s]ku,

ˈsaɱ‿.vɪsk-ʏ |

con.science-D.IDF ,

og

ɔ

and

ber

ˈpɛːr-∅

be.to-PRS.IMP.SHRT

þeim

‿ðeim

D.PL

að breyta

a ˌpreit-a

to behave-INF

bróðurlega

ˈprouːðʏr.ˌlɛɣ-a

brother.ly-ADV

hverjum

ˈkʰvɛr-jʏɱ‿

each-D.PL

við

vɪð

with

annan.

ˈanː-an

(an)other-MA.A.SG .

Grein 1: Hver maður er borinn frjáls og jafn öðrum að virðingu og réttindum. Menn eru gæddir vitsmunum og samvi[s]ku, og ber þeim {að breyta} bróðurlega hverjum við annan.

ˈkreiːn-∅ {ˈʔei-ht ||} ˈkʰvɛːr-∅ ˈmaːð-ʏr ɛ(r)-∅ ˌpɔr-ɪn ˈfrjauls-∅ ɔ ˈjapn-∅ {ˌœðr-ʏm |} a ˈvɪrð.iŋk-ʏ ɔ {ˈrjɛhtɪnt-ʏm ||} ˈmɛnː ɛr-ʏ ˌkaitː-ɪr̥‿ ˈvɪts.mʏn-ʏm ɔ {ˈsaɱ‿.vɪsk-ʏ |} ɔ ˈpɛːr-∅ ‿ðeim {a ˌpreit-a} ˈprouːðʏr.ˌlɛɣ-a ˈkʰvɛr-jʏɱ‿ vɪð ˈanː-an

Article-N.SG.DF one-NT.N.SG: each-MA.N.SG person-N.SG.IDF be\PRS.IND-3SG born-M.N.SG.IDF free-M.N.SG.IDF and equal-M.N.SG.IDF (an)other\-D.PL {in terms of} respect-D.SG.IDF and {rights-D.IDF .} People\N.PL.IDF be\PRS.IND-3PL endowed-M.N.PL.IDF intel.ligence(s)-D.IDF and {con.science-D.IDF ,} and be.to-PRS.IMP.SHRT D.PL {to behave-INF} brother.ly-ADV each-D.PL with {(an)other-MA.A.SG .}

Article 1: Each person is born free and equal from another in terms of respect and rights. People are endowed with intelligence and reason, and are to behave brotherly with one another.

The North Wind and the Sun

Here is a sample of the first sentence from the fable "The North Wind and the Sun" in Icelandic. The first line shows the written version, the second line shows how it sounds using special letters, and the third line explains the words. You can hear recordings on Jo Verhoeven's personal website.

Einu

ˈʔei-nʏ

One-N.SG.DF

sinni

ˈsɪnː-ɪ

time-D.SG.IDF

deildu

ˌteil-tʏ

dispute-IND.PST.3PL

norðanvindurinn

ˈnɔrðaɱ‿.ˌvɪnt-ʏrɪn

north.wind-N.SG.DF

og

ɔ

and

sólin

ˈsouːl-ɪn ||

sun-N.SG.DF

um,

ˈʔʏm

about

hvort

kʰvɔr̥-t(ː‿)

which.of.two-NT.N.SG

þeirra

(θ)eira

NT.G.PL

væri

ˌvair-ɪ

be\SUB.PST-SUB.3SG

sterkara.

ˈstɛr̥k-ar-a

strong-CMPA-NT.N.SG

Einu sinni deildu norðanvindurinn og sólin um, hvort þeirra væri sterkara.

ˈʔei-nʏ ˈsɪnː-ɪ ˌteil-tʏ ˈnɔrðaɱ‿.ˌvɪnt-ʏrɪn ɔ {ˈsouːl-ɪn ||} ˈʔʏm kʰvɔr̥-t(ː‿) (θ)eira ˌvair-ɪ ˈstɛr̥k-ar-a

One-N.SG.DF time-D.SG.IDF dispute-IND.PST.3PL north.wind-N.SG.DF and sun-N.SG.DF about which.of.two-NT.N.SG NT.G.PL be\SUB.PST-SUB.3SG strong-CMPA-NT.N.SG

One time the north wind and the sun were quarreling over which of the two was stronger.