Verbal Messages
Icelandic is the official language of Iceland used by approximately 93% of people. Due to immigration, Polish is spoken by almost 3%, Lithuanian 0.4%, English 0.3% and German 0.3%.
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| https://www.campervanreykjavik.com/post/iceland-language |
English might be used as a lingua franca in Iceland, meaning it is a commonly known language. Especially younger generations, who study this language at school and can fluently communicate with others. That provides possibilities to communicate with people around the globe not only for business matters but also for personal life. Tourism would be so much harder if we have to learn a new language every time we go to another country and since most of us know English, communication is possible.
Halló! – /hah-loh!/ - Hello!
Já – /yow/ - Yes
Nei – /ney/ - No
Vinsamlegast – /vin-sahm-leh-gast/ - Please
Þakka þér fyrir – /thah-kah thyer fir-eer/ - Thank you
Geturðu hjálpað mér? – /geh-tur-thu hyaul-path mer/ - Can you help me?
Ég skil ekki – /yeh skihl eh-kee/ - I don’t understand
Ég tala ekki íslenskur – /yeh tah-lah eh-kee ees-lensk-ur/ - I don’t speak Icelandic
Ég heiti Natalua – /yeh hay-tee Natalia/ - My name is Natalia
I have difficulties with the pronunciation of; please, thank you, and can you help me. Those words and sentences are longer and Icelandic characters are included which makes it harder for individuals who do not know Icelandic to read.
It's crucial to learn basic words before traveling, especially since not everyone we encounter will be able to communicate in English. Language barriers may arise when interacting with older individuals on the street or in stores. By knowing the fundamental words we can effectively communicate our basic needs and understand the general meaning of what someone is trying to communicate.
Iceland has an oceanic climate shaped by cold ocean currents from the north and the warm Gulf Stream. This makes summers cool and winters mild. The average temperature in Reykjavík is +0.4°C in January and 12.5°C in July. The average temperature of the year is 5.5°C. The northern coast and the highlands have an arctic climate.
The English paragraph is slightly longer than the Icelandic one, but Icelandic words are mostly longer and more complex. This demonstrates that the Icelandic language often combines words, while in English, two words have specific meanings and are placed next to each other in a sentence. The difference in the alphabet makes it challenging for us to read and sometimes pronounce Icelandic words, as they include a few characters we do not use.
Additionally, they use different decimal separators. In Iceland, a comma is used like a dot in English (i.e., 12,5°C -> 12.5°C).
Have you ever heard the phrase “Language influences our view of reality”? It is such a fascinating concept that it is often forgotten in our daily lives. “The functions of language include communication, the expression of identity, play, imaginative expression, and emotional release.” according to Britannica. In some languages, certain words are more descriptive of specific objects, behaviors, etc. than others. For example, in my native language, Polish, there is no distinction between the words "brave" and "bold" as there is in English. Additionally, in some languages, nouns have gender. It does not occur in Icelandic, but it does in Polish. For instance: spoon is a feminine noun, knife is a masculine noun, and chair is a neuter noun. These differences can influence how we perceive the world around us.
Websites I used to write this blog:
www.norden.org/en/information/facts-about-iceland
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