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This is a useful resource, but it is a pity that the Icelandic originals are in a spelling based on Modern Icelandic, not the standard used in Old Norse scholar

This is a useful resource, but it is a pity that the Icelandic originals are in a spelling based on Modern Icelandic, not the standard used in Old Norse scholarship. For example, writing the nominative singular ending -r as -ur, and the letter ö for a certain low vowel instead of ǫ. Consequently, anyone learning Old Norse from a textbook published in the last century will have some mental conversion to deal with when using this site.

saevarom 3y ago
Some of them are available in Old Norse. Just click on the flag that says "ON". Or see a list of them by language here: https://www.sagadb.org/index_az https://www.sagadb.org/index_az
0xEF 3y ago
The spelling is welcomed from my perspective. I am in the process of learning to read Icelandic for an upcoming trip (also speaking at a basic level, but I love reading other languages) and was looking for something to practice with. Since the sagas are a big part of cultural history, maybe I should use this database? Any thoughts on this resource from fellow learners or native speakers are welcome.
- OfSanguineFire 3y ago
  The sagas abound in obsolete vocabulary, things that are never said in spoken language today and unrecognizable to Icelanders without a commentary. Icelandic is conservative in some vocabulary, due to a decision since the 19th century to revive some old words and coin new native terms instead of borrowing from other languages. However, plenty of other old words fell by the wayside. It makes no more sense to read the sagas in preparation for a trip to the modern country, than for a foreigner to read Shakespeare or Chaucer in preparation for being a tourist in the UK. Also, don’t expect to speak Icelandic as a tourist in Iceland. The local people are well known for keeping aloof from tourists (tourists most often interact with a foreign workforce brought in from Poland etc. to serve them), and unless you have already gone through a course of the language that has prepared you to handle a full conversation, they will simply immediately switch to English; otherwise they would feel you are just wasting their time.
  - IceDane 3y ago
    > otherwise they would feel you are just wasting their time. I don't think this is a fair characterization. Icelandic people have however gotten very used to speaking English in their day-to-day lives because there are so many immigrants that don't speak Icelandic. Practically every time you go to a store and talk to a clerk, you'll have to speak English.
    - privacythrow23 3y ago
      Yeah I can't speak for everyone, but it's not feeling like they're wasting their own time. It's more out of concern for wasting your time. It is often very welcomed when you ask to speak Icelandic and are learning. People will take the time, slow down their speech and offer words of encouragement like "you are doing really well"
      - LanceH 3y ago
        My interactions around language switching were always pleasant. My group was always greeted in English, then everyone would switch to Icelandic for me -- and I know very little. Sometimes I could fake a sentence or two, but generally there was a laugh and switch to English as it became apparent I was not native.
  - technothrasher 3y ago
    > The local people are well known for keeping aloof from tourists A friend of mine tells the story of being in a bar in Reykjavik minding his own business, when two young ladies approached him and after a little small talk asked, "Do you know how to make love to an Icelander?" When he answered, "no", they replied, "You just ask." He turned beet red and left as quickly as possible, but... that doesn't sound aloof to me ;-)
    - hellojesus 3y ago
      I'm jelly.
- meheleventyone 3y ago
  You can use the news as a great resource for contemporary Icelandic as well as learning what’s going on here: https://www.ruv.is/frettir https://www.ruv.is/frettir

saevarom 3y ago

Some of them are available in Old Norse. Just click on the flag that says "ON". Or see a list of them by language here: https://www.sagadb.org/index_az https://www.sagadb.org/index_az

0xEF 3y ago

The spelling is welcomed from my perspective. I am in the process of learning to read Icelandic for an upcoming trip (also speaking at a basic level, but I love reading other languages) and was looking for something to practice with. Since the sagas are a big part of cultural history, maybe I should use this database? Any thoughts on this resource from fellow learners or native speakers are welcome.

OfSanguineFire 3y ago
The sagas abound in obsolete vocabulary, things that are never said in spoken language today and unrecognizable to Icelanders without a commentary. Icelandic is conservative in some vocabulary, due to a decision since the 19th century to revive some old words and coin new native terms instead of borrowing from other languages. However, plenty of other old words fell by the wayside. It makes no more sense to read the sagas in preparation for a trip to the modern country, than for a foreigner to read Shakespeare or Chaucer in preparation for being a tourist in the UK. Also, don’t expect to speak Icelandic as a tourist in Iceland. The local people are well known for keeping aloof from tourists (tourists most often interact with a foreign workforce brought in from Poland etc. to serve them), and unless you have already gone through a course of the language that has prepared you to handle a full conversation, they will simply immediately switch to English; otherwise they would feel you are just wasting their time.
- IceDane 3y ago
  > otherwise they would feel you are just wasting their time. I don't think this is a fair characterization. Icelandic people have however gotten very used to speaking English in their day-to-day lives because there are so many immigrants that don't speak Icelandic. Practically every time you go to a store and talk to a clerk, you'll have to speak English.
  - privacythrow23 3y ago
    Yeah I can't speak for everyone, but it's not feeling like they're wasting their own time. It's more out of concern for wasting your time. It is often very welcomed when you ask to speak Icelandic and are learning. People will take the time, slow down their speech and offer words of encouragement like "you are doing really well"
    - LanceH 3y ago
      My interactions around language switching were always pleasant. My group was always greeted in English, then everyone would switch to Icelandic for me -- and I know very little. Sometimes I could fake a sentence or two, but generally there was a laugh and switch to English as it became apparent I was not native.
- technothrasher 3y ago
  > The local people are well known for keeping aloof from tourists A friend of mine tells the story of being in a bar in Reykjavik minding his own business, when two young ladies approached him and after a little small talk asked, "Do you know how to make love to an Icelander?" When he answered, "no", they replied, "You just ask." He turned beet red and left as quickly as possible, but... that doesn't sound aloof to me ;-)
  - hellojesus 3y ago
    I'm jelly.
meheleventyone 3y ago
You can use the news as a great resource for contemporary Icelandic as well as learning what’s going on here: https://www.ruv.is/frettir https://www.ruv.is/frettir