What is ancient icelandic?

Ancient Icelandic refers to the Old Norse language spoken in Iceland between the 9th and 13th centuries. Icelandic settlers, predominantly from Norway, brought this language to Iceland. Ancient Icelandic is particularly interesting for scholars as it is one of the most well-preserved Old Norse dialects, which was largely due to Iceland's geographical isolation.

The Sagas, Iceland's literary heritage, were written in Ancient Icelandic during the 12th and 13th centuries. These sagas contain important historical records of early Iceland and are still read and studied today.

In the centuries that followed, the Icelandic language continued to evolve, and Modern Icelandic emerged in the 16th century. However, Icelandic speakers can still understand the Old Norse texts of Ancient Icelandic due to the grammatical, phonetic and orthographic similarities between the two.

In recent times, Iceland has been proactive in preserving and promoting its ancient language, with great success. Efforts have been made to teach Old Norse in schools, and Iceland has become a hub for researchers and enthusiasts interested in the Icelandic language and its history.