ICELAND
Language

Cities in ICELAND

Reykjavik

Language

Street name with many Icelandic letters_{Photo: WorldIslandInfo.com (CC BY 2.0) no changes made}

The official language is Icelandic, a corruption of Old Norse. Icelandic is a Germanic language that has hardly changed over the centuries. Although foreign influences are noticeable, the written language and grammar have largely remained the same. The isolated location and the small number of inhabitants are of course of great importance. The only thing that has changed a lot is the language sound. It is also remarkable that in the Icelandic alphabet there are still letters that have long since disappeared elsewhere in Europe.

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Sources

Blijderveen, W. van / IJsland
Gottmer

Encarta Encyclopedie

Jansen, A. / Reishandboek IJsland
Elmar

CIA - World Factbook

BBC - Country Profiles

Last updated March 2024
Copyright: Team The World of Info