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| City Guide > Europe > Iceland > Reykjavik |
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Language Icelandic is a Teutonic language of the Nordic group distantly related to Norwegian. It is believed to have changed little from the original tongue spoken by the Norse settlers. As the country only gained full independence from Denmark in 1944, Danish is still spoken among the older generation. ‘Video English’ has slipped into the slang language of the city’s younger inhabitants, although generally they have a good command of English, as it is an integral part of the schooling system. Despite this trend for foreign words, Reykjavikians are fiercely proud of their language and will always look to use an Icelandic expression or word rather than use an outside replacement: ‘computer’, for example, is tlva, a combination of the words tala (‘number’) and vlva (‘sage’). Some of the Reykjavikians’ expressions seem archaic when translated, as they stem from their rural heritage – if something is ‘not much good’, it is ekki epp marga fiska (‘not worth many fish’); and sauddrukkinn is to be ‘as drunk as a sheep’ – both colloquial expressions still used today. Phrases Yes - J No - Nei Hello - Hall Goodbye - Bless Please - Viltu gjra svo vel Thank you - Takk (takk fyrir) My name is & g heiti & How are you? - Hvernig hefurdu thad? I’m very well - g hef thad gtt I feel ill - g er lasin How much does it cost? - Hvad kostar thetta? Do you speak English? - Talardu ensku? I don’t understand - g skil ekki Where is &? - Hvar er &? Entrance - Inngangur Exit - tgangur Danger - Htta Open - Opid Closed - Lokad Toilets - Salerni Doctor - Lknir Hotel - Htel Restaurant - Veitingastadur Beer - Bjr Wine - Vn Menu - Matsedill Today - dag Tomorrow - morgun Monday- Mnudagur Tuesday - Thridjudagur Wednesday - Midvikudagur Thursday - Fimmtudagur Friday - Fstudagur Saturday - Laugardagur Sunday - Sunnudagur One - Einn Two - Tveir Three - Thrr Four - Fjrir Five Fimm Six - Sex Seven - Sj Eight - tta Nine - Nu Ten - Tu Twenty - Tuttugu Thirty - Thrjtu Forty - Fjrtu Fifty - Fimmtu Sixty - Sextu Seventy - Sjtu Eighty - ttatu Ninety - Ntu One Hundred - Eitt hundrad One Thousand - Eitt thsund |