Icelandic (Íslenska)

Icelandic is a Northern Germanic language spoken mainly in Iceland (Ísland), and also in Canada (Kanada) and the USA (Bandaríki Norður-Ameríku).

In 2017 the population of Icelandic was 338,349 [source], the vast majority of whom speak Icelandic. In 2013 there were approximately 15,000 native speakers of Icelandic outside Iceland: including 8,000 in Denmark, 5,000 in the USA, and 1,400 in Canada, especially in Manitoba [source]. The total number of Icelandic speakers is about 350,000.

Icelandic at a glance Native name : íslenska ['iːs(t)lɛnska]

: íslenska ['iːs(t)lɛnska] Linguistic affliation : Indo-European, Germanic, North Germanic, West Scandinavian, Insular Scandinavian

: Indo-European, Germanic, North Germanic, West Scandinavian, Insular Scandinavian Number of speakers : c. 350,000

: c. 350,000 Spoken in : Iceland, Denmark, USA and Canada

: Iceland, Denmark, USA and Canada First written : AD 1100

: AD 1100 Writing system : Latin script

: Latin script Status: official language in Iceland

Icelandic is the closest of the Northern Germanic languages to Old Norse, and it is possible for Icelandic speakers to read the Old Norse sagas in the original without too much difficulty. It is closely related to Faroese and western dialects of Norwegian, and less closely related to Danish and Swedish.

The first permanent settlement in Iceland was established by Vikings from Norway and Celts from the British Isles in 870 AD. The main language of the settlers was Old Norse or the Dǫnsk tunga (Danish tongue). A number of great literary works - the sagas - were written by Icelanders during the 12th and 13th centuries. These sagas, many of which were the work of unknown authors, were written in a language very much like Old Norse. The greatest known authors from this period were Ari the Learned (1068-1148) and Snorri Sturlson (1179-1241).

From 1262 until the 15th century, Iceland was governed by Norway, then the Danes took over. During the periods of Norwegian and Danish rule, Norwegian and Danish were used in Iceland, to some extent.

In 1944 Iceland gained its independence and Icelandic was revived as an official and literary language. Today there is a flourishing publishing industry in Iceland and Icelanders are probably the keenest readers and writers in the world.

Icelandic alphabet (íslenska stafrófið)

The letters C (se), Q (kú) and W (tvöfalt vaff) are also used, but only in foreign loanwords. The letter Z (seta) is no longer used in Icelandic, except in the newspaper Morgunblaðið

Icelandic Pronunciation

Notes

Stressed vowels are long:

- in one-syllable words where the vowel is word-final;

- before a single consonant;

- before the consonant clusters pr, tr, kr, sr, pj, tj, sj, tv or kv



- in one-syllable words where the vowel is word-final; - before a single consonant; - before the consonant clusters pr, tr, kr, sr, pj, tj, sj, tv or kv Elsewhere stressed vowels are short

Unstressed vowels are always short

nn = [tn] after an accented vowel or a diphthong

Download an alphabet chart for Icelandic (Excel)

Hear how to pronounce the Icelandic letters with example words:

Sample text in Icelandic

Hver maður er borinn frjáls og jafn öðrum að virðingu og réttindum. Menn eru gæddir vitsmunum og samvisku, og ber þeim að breyta bróðurlega hverjum við annan.

A recording of this text by Marc Volhardt

A recording of this text by Alexander Jarl

A recording of this text by Stefan Steinsson

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Sample video in Icelandic

Information about Icelandic | Phrases | Numbers | Colours | Family words | Time | Terms of endearment | Idioms | Tongue twisters | Tower of Babel | Learning materials

Links

Information about the Icelandic language and pronunciation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_language

Online Icelandic lessons

http://icelandiconline.is

http://www.digitaldialects.com/Icelandic.htm

http://www.101languages.net/icelandic/

http://mylanguages.org/learn_icelandic.php

http://www.ielanguages.com/icelandic.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QKAdCZEkcY

http://tungumalatorg.is/viltu_laera_islensku/en

Learn Icelandic with Glossika

Icelandic Grammar

http://www.dettifoss.org

http://www.language-learning-advisor.com/support-files/icelandicprimer.pdf

Icelandic phrases

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/other/quickfix/icelandic.shtml

http://odin.bio.miami.edu/norse/icetrans.html

http://wikitravel.org/en/Icelandic_phrasebook

http://www.linguanaut.com/english_icelandic.htm

Online Icelandic dictionaries

http://www.ordabok.is/index.asp?mal=en

http://www.hugtakasafn.utn.stjr.is

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/IcelOnline/

http://www.ling.upenn.edu/~kurisuto/germanic/oi_cleasbyvigfusson_about.html#images

Online Icelandic radio

http://www.ruv.is

http://www.bylgjan.is

http://www.utvarpsaga.is

Online Icelandic newspapers

http://www.bb.is

http://www.visir.is

http://www.mbl.is

Germanic languages

Afrikaans, Alsatian, Bavarian, Cimbrian, Danish, Dutch, Elfdalian, English, Faroese, Flemish, Frisian (North), Frisian (Saterland), Frisian (West), German, Gothic, Gottscheerish, Hunsrik, Icelandic, Limburgish, Low German, Luxembourgish, Mòcheno, Norn, Norwegian, Old English, Old Norse, Pennsylvania German, Ripuarian, Scots, Shetland(ic), Stellingwarfs, Swedish, Swiss German, Värmlandic, Wymysorys, Yiddish, Zeelandic

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

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