Hverlandic language
| Hverlandic | |
|---|---|
| Hverlandisk | |
| Native to | Hverland |
Native speakers | 133,200 (L1) 1,500 (L2) |
Indo-European
| |
| 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
1 Og heilsa jørð var av einum mál, og av einum røði. 2 Og tað hendi, sum teir fórðu frá austri, at teir funnu eina slættu í landi Shinar; og teir búsettust hagar. 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 Og teir sagðu, Fari, lat oss byggja oss býur og ein turv, hvørs tind má ná upp til himins; og lat oss gera oss eitt nafn, so vit verða ikki dreifð út yvir ánsiktið av heilsa jørð. 5 Og Harrin kom niður at síggja býin og turvin, sum menninna børn bygdu. 6 Og Harrin sagði, Sí, fólkið er eitt, og teir hava allir eitt mál; og hetta byrja teir at gera: og nú verður einki hindrað teir, sum teir hava ímyndað at gera. 7 Fari, lat oss fara niður, og hagar forvirra teirra mál, so teir kunnu ikki skilja hvør annars røð. 8 So Harrin dreif teir út frá hagar yvir ánsiktið av allari jørð: og teir hættu at byggja býin. 9 Tí er nafnið av henni kallað Babel; tí Harrin gjørdi hagar forvirra málið av allari jørð: og frá hagar dreif Harrin teir út yvir ánsiktið av allari jørð. |
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. |
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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.