Icelandic

Icelandic (Íslenska)

Icelandic is a Northern Germanic language with about 300,000
speakers in Iceland (Ísland), Canada (Kanada)
and the USA (Bandaríki Norður-Ameríku).
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.

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)
A a Á á B b D d Ð ð E e É é F f G g H h I i
a á e eff ge i
Í í J j K k L l M m N n O o Ó ó P p R r S s
í joð ell emm enn o ó err ess
T t U u Ú ú V v X x Y y Ý ý Þ þ Æ æ Ö ö  
u ú vaff ex ufsilon y ufsilon ý þorn æ ö  
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