Introduction to the Icelandic Language

The Icelandic language is both beautiful and difficult, difficult even for many natives.  The reason is probably its grammar which is quite perplexed. The written Icelandic hasn´t changed so very much since the early Icelanders were struggling with the nature forces on this magnificient island of ice and fire 1100 years ago, so little actually that modern Icelanders are able to read most of the ancient litterature of the Icelandic Sagas.

(Translation (Þýðing):
Íslenskan er bæði falleg og erfið, erfið jafnvel fyrir innfædda. Ástæðan er væntanlega málfræðin sem þykir frekar flókin. Rituð íslenska hefur ekki breyst svo ýkja mikið á þeim tíma sem liðinn er síðan forn-íslendingar áttu í baráttu við náttúruöflin á þessari stórkostlegu eyju elds og ísa fyrir 1100 árum, svo lítið reyndar að Íslendingar nútímans geta skilið mest af rituðu máli Íslendingasagna.)

The Icelandic Alphabet (Íslenska stafrófið) / Icelandic pronunciation (íslenskur framburður):

A, a- as -ar in car
Á, á- as -ow in cow
B, b- as b- in bee
D, d- as in done
Ð, ð-as th- in the
E, e- as -e in bed
É, é- as ye- in yes
F, f- as f- in fan
G,g- as g- in go
H, h- as h- in hair
I, i- as -i- in dinner
Í, í- as -ee in bee
J, j- as yo- in you
K,k- as c- in cow
L, l- as l- in lee
M, m- as m- in mama
N, n- as n- in now
O, o- as -o- in horse
Ó, ó- as -oa- in roark
P, p- as p- in peace
R, r- as r- in read
S, s- as s- in soul
T, t- as t- in tea
U, u- as -u- in gudmund
Ú, ú- as -oo- in fool
V, v- as w- in water
X, x- as -x in rex
Y, y- as i- in in
Ý, ý- as -ee in bee
Þ, þ- as -th in cloth
Æ, æ- as -y in my
Ö, ö- as -e- in her

Now you could read the Icelandic version on Netsaga.is also and try your pronunciation on my great language, before you come for a visit to Iceland. Visitors who try to speak our strange language are especially welcome, of course.

Modern Icelandic is based on ancient Nordic (Viking) languages, but because our tiny nation (about 312.000 living souls today) has been so isolated throughout the ages our language hasn´t changed so very much. And that´s why modern Icelanders are able to read and understand The Icelandic Sagas which were written mainly in the thirteenth and the fourteenth century by writers such as Njáll on Bergþórshvoli.

One of the things that make Icelandic so difficult to learn and speak is the fact how many words are altered in use, e.g, my name, Ólafur:

Hér er Ólafur (Here's Ólafur)-nafnháttur (the infinitive mood)

Ég er að tala um Ólaf (I'm speaking about Ólaf)-þolfall (accusative)

Ég kem frá Ólafi (I´m coming from Ólafi)-þágufall (dative)

Ég fer til Ólafs (I'm going to Ólafs)-eignarfall (possessive case)

If you would like to contact me or ask me more about anything, you can email me: Netsaga@netsaga.is