Hverlandic language
| Hverlandic | |
|---|---|
| Hverøyken | |
| Pronunciation | [væ̌rlandɪk] (English) |
| Region |  Hverland |
Native speakers | 26,620 (2020) L2: ~2,000 |
Indo-European
| |
| Latin script | |
| Official status | |
Official language in | Hverland Nordic Council |
| Regulated by | Hverland Language Board |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | hve |
Hverlandic (Hverlandic: Hverøyken) is a language spoken in and originating from Hverland, where it is considered the indigenous language of the country. It is a West Germanic language closely related to Icelandic.
Hverlandic evolved from the Icelandic vernacular spoken by the country's original Icelandic settlers, where it gradually began to develop distinguishing characteristics over the course of the 16th and 17th centuries.
According to the 2020 Hverlandic census, around 22% of the population of Hverland can speak Hverlandic, most of whom are either of Icelandic decent or live in areas of the country dominated by Icelandic decedents. This number has steadily declined since the mid-19th century as large numbers of Swedes immigrated to Hverland. Hverlandic was classified as a vulnerable language by UNESCO in 1998. However, recent initiatives to preserve in the language have succeeded in halting further decline. For example, in 2021, public schools across Hverland became required to offer students Hverlandic language courses in addition to the mandatory Swedish and English courses.