The Icelandic language stands apart among European tongues for its close ties to Old Norse. Since the first Norwegians settled Iceland in the ninth century, with Irish captives among them, the language spoken across the island closely followed that of Norway. Yet, while Norwegian speech went through simplification in its grammar and structure from the thirteenth century onwards, standard Icelandic preserved much of its complex original form.
Language and history intertwined
This loyalty to tradition is not only seen in grammar, but also in the vocabulary itself. Icelandic words overwhelmingly spring from Old Norse roots. The language has absorbed fewer loanwords than most of its neighbours, and when foreign words do enter, Icelandic spelling rules are rigorously applied. The word ‘kaffi’ (coffee), for example, draws on French and Italian sources but is thoroughly adapted for Icelandic usage.
The arrival of Christianity in the eleventh century pushed the language to evolve new terms for unfamiliar religious ideas. Many of these, such as ‘kirkja’ (church) and ‘biskup’ (bishop), came from neighbouring Scandinavian tongues and reveal the common Indo-European heritage that links Icelandic to English and other Germanic languages. Lesser influences from Latin and Greek also made their mark.
Centuries of trade and contact left footprints too. French contributed words related to the court and aristocracy, while trade with the Hanseatic League introduced terms from Low German, especially in the areas of business and commerce. During the era of the Reformation and the translation of religious texts, Danish and German words also entered the Icelandic lexicon.
Innovative word formation
What sets modern Icelandic apart, however, is an enduring tradition of crafting new words from old Icelandic roots. Unlike many languages that import foreign terms for new technologies or concepts, Icelandic prefers compound words and revived archaisms. For instance, ‘veðurfræði’ (meteorology) is simply ‘weather studies,’ and ‘hlutabréfamarkaður’ (stock market) combines ‘share,’ ‘paper,’ and ‘market.’
This approach extends to modern inventions and scientific advances. The word ‘þyrla’ (helicopter) builds from an Icelandic verb meaning ‘to twirl,’ while ‘þota’ (jet) relates to a verb meaning ‘rush.’ In cases where the Icelandic landscape lacks the subject of a word, like ‘banana’, the language sometimes borrows. A proposed native term ‘bjúgaldin’ (‘curved fruit’) for banana failed to catch on, and the adapted ‘banani’ took precedence.
Despite a handful of exceptions, the vast majority of new Icelandic words are created rather than adopted. Ancient practices such as compounding and the use of ablaut (vowel variation) offer a well of possibilities, so the vocabulary continues to grow while keeping its historic roots intact.
