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Tags: Icelandic | Rare Languages | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Specific Languages |  | |
| JonJonsson Triglot Newbie Iceland Joined 3971 days ago 7 posts - 31 votes Speaks: Icelandic*, English, Danish | Message 9 of 21 22 January 2014 at 12:58pm | IP Logged | ||||||||
Hálfviti is a very common word. Fáviti ("few-wit") is common as well. Idiot (or "idjót") is rarely used but would be understood
I think daegga covered this better than I could have. I haven't studied German at all but I know that Icelandic has a lot more weak verbs than strong ones and irregulars are rare. The problem is that there are so many types of verbs that them being "regular" doesn't help a lot.
(komst*) https://bland.is/messageboard/messageboard.aspx?advtype=52 You can talk about anything at all on this forum and you would probably get some replies if you ask for skype contacts but I can't guarantee the quality of the language used there. BY THE WAY: I don't know if it's been posted before but this website is by far the best source on the web for Icelandic inflection, I use it all the time. It even has an English version. http://bin.arnastofnun.is/DMII/ 5 persons have voted this message useful | |||||||||
| dmaddock1 Senior Member United States Joined 5433 days ago 174 posts - 426 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: Italian, Esperanto, Latin, Ancient Greek | Message 10 of 21 24 January 2014 at 4:33pm | IP Logged | ||||||||
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Brilliant idea Jon, and thanks! I'm preparing for a trip to Iceland this summer and have been studying a bit of Icelandic language and literature on the side. Forgive me for what I think is going to be a laundry list of questions that have been kicking around my brain:
1. Tourist-level Icelandic, endearing or insulting in general? Since it seems everyone speaks English well in Iceland and I'm a native English speaker, I'm wondering how good my Icelandic needs to be before I try it out... 2. Learning materials are uncommon. Are you familiar with the quality of what's out there (especially besides Colloquial & Teach Yourself)? I'm using these audio lessons made by a native English speaker and this course by the University of Iceland. 3. Is there a good Icelandic book store chain I should look for? (Reykjavik area). I always buy a stack of books and DVDs when I travel. 4. Books: Besides the sagas, could you name a few classic books that you think would be readable by a motivated learner? Something that every kid reads in school around age 13, for example. 5. DVDs: Like #4, but for TV and films. I hope to pick up some DVDs that have subtitles in both Icelandic and English. Thanks! 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| JonJonsson Triglot Newbie Iceland Joined 3971 days ago 7 posts - 31 votes Speaks: Icelandic*, English, Danish | Message 11 of 21 25 January 2014 at 5:37am | IP Logged | ||||||||
1. There seems to be a myth going around about Icelandic being some holy gift exclusively bestowed upon the Icelandic people and that no one else can learn it. I suspect that, unless you are really determined, people will just chuckle at the silly tourist and continue the conversation in English. But, of course, it completely depends on the person you talk to. Some people may be very supportive, I know I would be. 2. I'm not very familiar with the resources available but the internet is the best place. I think I saw a pretty good list somewhere on this site but can't remember where. http://tungumalatorg.is/viltu_laera_islensku/en/ this course looks good. 3. Eymundsson and Mál og menning are good and very noticeable in the city center. There's also a wonderful used book store on Hverfisgata called Bókin. 4. Englar Alheimsins (also a movie) and Riddarar Hringstigans by Einar Már Guðmundsson are pretty good and are read in the 8th and 9th grade. You should also check out Arnaldur Indriðason, his style is simple and modern. Laxness would be a big challenge because he doesn't use standard spelling and the style and vocabulary are so peculiar that even most Icelanders won't understand everything. However, the reward is very great if you step up to the challenge. 5. The majority (or all) of DVD's sold in stores have English and Icelandic subtitles, there's always info on the back. I really recommend the Næturvaktin, Dagvaktin and Fangavaktin series and the movie Bjarnfreðarson, which is about the main character (starring the current mayor of Reykjavík). Djúpið is also good. 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||||||||
| 1e4e6 Octoglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 4290 days ago 1013 posts - 1588 votes Speaks: English*, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian, Dutch, Swedish, Italian Studies: German, Danish, Russian, Catalan | Message 12 of 21 25 January 2014 at 5:50am | IP Logged | ||||||||
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With Point 1., would they switch back to Icelandic if the tourist cannot speak English
(or their English is A1 at most, or A0)? 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| JonJonsson Triglot Newbie Iceland Joined 3971 days ago 7 posts - 31 votes Speaks: Icelandic*, English, Danish | Message 13 of 21 25 January 2014 at 6:10am | IP Logged | ||||||||
Probably not. I think people would use really simple English and talk very clearly with gestures rather than switch to Icelandic. If the tourist obviously knows enough Icelandic for a simple interaction to go smoothly I think people will be pleasantly surprised and talk Icelandic but any bumps will make them switch to English. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| Josquin Heptaglot Senior Member Germany Joined 4844 days ago 2266 posts - 3992 votes Speaks: German*, English, French, Latin, Italian, Russian, Swedish Studies: Japanese, Irish, Portuguese, Persian | Message 14 of 21 25 January 2014 at 1:32pm | IP Logged | ||||||||
If I might chime in: I have worked through Colloquial Icelandic and I found it a very good course. It has a somewhat steep learning curve, but if you don't obsess about understanding everything the first time you see it, it's really good. I haven't worked with TY, but I have heard good things about Hippocrene's Beginner's Icelandic. It seems to be a bit easier than Colloquial. Viltu læra íslensku? (the one Jón gave the link for) is a very good TV programme for learners of Icelandic IMHO. You might also want to have a look at the Icelandic Profile that I wrote some time ago. There's a list of resources at the end. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| dmaddock1 Senior Member United States Joined 5433 days ago 174 posts - 426 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Italian, Esperanto, Latin, Ancient Greek | Message 15 of 21 25 January 2014 at 2:30pm | IP Logged | ||||||||
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Thanks, both of you.
1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| Stolan Senior Member United States Joined 4032 days ago 274 posts - 368 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Thai, Lowland Scots Studies: Arabic (classical), Cantonese | Message 16 of 21 25 January 2014 at 5:32pm | IP Logged | ||||||||
Well it is an Island with half a million people only, this is kinda what happens. I am interested now in Icelandic nouns. 30+ classes, I have to look into this. Ooh I am looking at some of the verbs and nouns, wooh, this isn't like Latin where I have some "feel" now. Edited by Stolan on 25 January 2014 at 6:03pm 1 person has voted this message useful |
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