Icelandic: The Saga of an Ancient Tongue

The Icelandic language, spoken primarily in the Republic of Iceland, is renowned for its preservation of a linguistic form closely resembling Old Norse, the language of the Vikings. Rooted deep in the sagas and epic tales of Norse mythology, Icelandic has retained its ancient character while evolving subtly over the centuries. Though some may be familiar with the language’s general history, there are many fascinating and lesser-known details about Icelandic. Here, we unravel ten such intriguing facts.

1. A Window to the Viking Age:

Remarkably, modern Icelanders can still read the ancient sagas written in Old Norse without too much difficulty. This is because the Icelandic language has undergone remarkably few changes since the medieval period, especially when compared to other Germanic languages.

2. A Living Legacy of Norse Mythology:

Icelandic vocabulary is rife with words that are direct references to Norse mythology. For instance, the days of the week are named after Norse gods, like Þór (Thor) in “Þórsdagur” (Thursday).

3. No “C” in the Alphabet:

The Icelandic alphabet does not have the letter ‘c’. Instead, the language uses ‘k’ or ‘s’ for words that might be spelled with a ‘c’ in other languages. However, ‘c’ does appear in foreign borrowed words and proper names.

4. New Words from Old Roots:

The Icelandic Language Committee, established in 1964, coins new terms by deriving them from Old Norse roots rather than borrowing from foreign languages. For example, instead of adopting the word “computer”, Icelandic uses “tölva”, a fusion of “tala” (number) and “völva” (prophetess or seer).

5. Intricate Pronouns:

Icelandic has a distinct set of reflexive pronouns, something that many other languages do not have. For example, “I see myself” is “Ég sé mig” in Icelandic, where “mig” is the reflexive pronoun.

6. Declensions and Cases:

Much like Latin, Icelandic is a highly inflected language. Nouns are declined in four cases (nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive) and can be in one of three grammatical genders (masculine, feminine, neuter).

7. The Intriguing “þ” and “ð”:

Icelandic includes two letters that have been lost to English over time: “þ” (thorn) and “ð” (eth). Both represent “th” sounds, with “þ” corresponding to the sound in “thing” and “ð” to that in “that”.

8. An Abundance of Compound Words:

Icelandic often forms words through compounding. For example, “skrifborð” is the word for “desk”, which directly translates to “writing-table”.

9. A Prolific Naming Committee:

Iceland has a Naming Committee (Mannanafnanefnd) responsible for determining which new given names can be added to the approved list. For a name to be approved, it typically needs to fit Icelandic grammar and tradition.

10. Enduring Tongue Twisters:

Icelandic boasts some challenging tongue twisters. A popular one is “Það fer þreyta í þetta þrekraun,” which translates to “This endurance test is tiring”.

Conclusion:

Icelandic, with its deep historical roots and unique linguistic features, serves as a captivating reminder of Europe’s rich linguistic tapestry. The resilience of the language, along with its efforts to evolve from within rather than borrow externally, is truly commendable. These little-known facts shed light on the multifaceted nature of Icelandic, showcasing its intriguing blend of ancient tradition and modern evolution.