Icelanders on a mission: Fighting English invasion

[Astarho]

Icelanders on a mission: Fighting English invasion

Can proud people preserve their ancient language?
By WILLIAM ECENBARGER

I hand the agent my "brottfarerspjald," step on board Icelandair Flight 642. Just before takeoff, the flight attendant stands before us clasping a seat-belt buckle and droning through the "oryggisbunadur um bord." About five hours later, we begin our descent into Reykjavik, the capital. At the airport, I get my passport stamped at "vagabraeftirlit," make a quick refresher stop in the "snyrtingar," exchange dollars for "kronurs" at the "gjaldeyrir" and pick up tourist information at the "upplysingapjonustu fyrir feroafolk."

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Language preservation worked nicely for centuries because Icelanders lived diphthongs apart from the rest of the world, but in recent decades the cultural floodgates have been opened. English is everywhere — on televisions, VCRs, the Internet and commercial products.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/editorial/outlook/3092847

I find this interesting because many Indian tribes here in AZ are fighting a similar battle. Never thought Iceland would have the same problem.

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