Íslenksa

Íslenksa is the official language of Iceland, spoken by the vast majority of the population. It is a North Germanic language descended from Old Norse and constitutes the Icelandic branch of the West Nordic group. Icelandic has preserved many features of medieval Norse, including a four-case noun system and a rich verb morphology. Modern Icelandic uses three grammatical genders and relatively fixed syntax, with subordinate clauses often placing the verb at the end.

Geographic distribution: While almost all Icelanders speak Íslenksa, there are also small Icelandic-speaking communities abroad, notably in Denmark and North America. The language is used in education, government, media, and daily life within Iceland, and is taught to many foreign learners as well.

Writing system: Íslenksa is written in the Latin alphabet, with the addition of the letters thorn (Þ), eth (Ð), and the vowels æ and ö, along with diacritics on vowels (á, é, í, ó, ú, ý). The orthography is largely phonemic and standardized.

Standardization and vocabulary: The standard language is based on Icelandic dialects spoken in the western part of the country but is used nationwide in schools and official contexts. Icelandic linguists and institutions coordinate terminology and language planning, creating new words from Icelandic roots, such as tölva meaning computer and gervigreind meaning artificial intelligence, to accommodate modern concepts.

Status: Íslenksa is a living, vital language with a stable number of native speakers and a strong cultural role in Icelandic society. It remains a central element of national identity and is supported by education policy, media, and scholarly research.