Hverlandic language

Hverlandic
Hverlandisk
Native to	Hverland
Native speakers	117,200 (L1) 9,500 (L2)
Language family	Indo-European Germanic North Germanic West Scandinavian Hverlandic
Writing system	Latin (Hverlandic alphabet) Hverlandic Braille
Official status
Official language in	Hverland
Regulated by	Institute for Hverlandic Studies
Language codes
ISO 639-1	hv
ISO 639-2	hvr
ISO 639-3	–

Hverlandic (Hverlandic: Hverlandisk) is a North Germanic language predominantly spoken in Hverland. Closely related to Icelandic and Faroese, the language exhibits strong historical ties to Old Norse and has retained many of its grammatical and phonetic features.

Classification and history

Hverlandic belongs to the Insular Scandinavian branch of the North Germanic languages, making it a close relative of Icelandic and Faroese. Its origins trace back to the Viking Age when Norse-speaking settlers from Scandinavia established a presence on the islands. Over the centuries, while the language has evolved, it has managed to preserve many Old Norse linguistic characteristics, partly due to Hverland's geographical isolation.

Geographic distribution

Hverlandic is primarily spoken in Hverland, where it is the official language. Hverlandic-speaking communities also exist in other countries, particularly in Nordic countries and regions with significant Hverlandic diaspora populations.

Phonology and grammar

Like Icelandic, Hverlandic is noted for its complex phonology and morphology. It has preserved the phonemic length distinction in consonants, a feature rare among the world's languages. The language also retains a four-case synthetic grammar, similar to other North Germanic languages.

Writing system

Hverlandic uses the Latin script, supplemented with a few special characters inherited from Old Norse, including ð (eth), þ (thorn), and æ. The orthography is largely phonemic, providing a clear correlation between the written and spoken forms of the language.

Sample text

Hverlandic

¹ Ond heljarðr var av einum mál, ond einum ræðu.

² Ond þat kom fram, sem þeir ferðaði fra austri, at þeir fundu hæid í landi Shinar; ond þeir býr þar.

³ Og teir sagðu ein til annan, Fari, lat oss gera tégl, og brenna teir fullkomiliga. Og teir høvdu tégl til stein, og lím høvdu teir til mørtel.

⁴ Ond þeir sagði, Far til, láta oss byggja oss borg ond turn, hvars toppr mægi ná upp til himinn; ond láta oss gera oss nafn, minst við verði dreifðr yfir andlit heljarðr.

⁵ Ond Drottinn kom niðr til at sjá borgin ond turnið, hvilka barna menn byggði.

⁶ Ond Drottinn sagði, Sjá, fólkið er eitt, ond þau hafa allt eitt mál; ond þetta þau byrja at gera: ond nú mun ekkert verða hamlaðr frá þeim, hvat þau hafa ímyndað at gera.

⁷ Far til, láta oss fara niðr, ond þar rugla þeira mál, at þau mægi ekki skilja hvers annars ræðu.

⁸ Svá Drottinn dreifði þeim út frá þar yfir andlit allr jarðr: ond þeir lét af at byggja borgin.

⁹ Því er nafnið þess kallaðr Babel; því at Drottinn þar ruglaði mál allr jarðr: ond frá þar dreifði Drottinn þeim yfir andlit allr jarðr.

English

¹ And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

² And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

³ And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.

⁴ And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

⁵ And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

⁶ And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

⁷ Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.

⁸ So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

⁹ Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

Common phrases

Hverlandic	English
Heilsa	Hello
Hvu bist du heoday?	How are you today?
Danku þu	Thank you
Eg skilji ikki	I don't understand
Kan tú endurtaka tað vinsamlegast?	Can you please repeat that?
Talar tú Enskkt?	Do you speak English?
Hvat er klokkan?	What time is it?
Góðan dag	Good day
Hvussu kann eg hjálpa tær?	How can I help you?
Hvar er næsta baðherbergi?	Where is the nearest bathroom?
Eg eri týndur/týnd	I am lost (male/female)
Eg vil gjarna hava ...	I would like to have ...

Language policy and education

In Hverland, Hverlandic is the medium of instruction in schools, ensuring all citizens gain fluency. English language proficiency has become increasingly essential, leading to robust bilingual education policies.

Linguistic research and preservation

Efforts to preserve and document the Hverlandic language have intensified over the years. Institutions such as the Institute for Hverlandic Studies at the University of Hverland play key roles in researching the language, developing its vocabulary to accommodate modern concepts, and promoting its usage.

Despite the linguistic challenges it presents, Hverlandic is cherished as a crucial element of the national cultural heritage.

See also

• Hverlanders