Soffía's Icelandic log

[Soffía]

If I remember well, I used to follow your log at HTLAL as well. The fact there is a show about people who are learning the language only adds up to the Wanderlust!

Apologies for the late reply - but there's a show about people learning Icelandic?? How did I not know about this, and what is it?

[Tristano]

Did I already tell you that since you've reached B1 in Icelandic you're a hero for me?

[Soffía]

I rarely read fiction, but "Englar alheimsins" by Einar Már Guðmundsson is actually one of the few novels I have read in any language the last couple of years. However I prefer Lifandi Visindi...

"Englar alheimsins" is a fantastic book. Even with my limited knowledge I can tell how good the style is. I'm still only about 60 pages in, but this is mostly because I've been reading other stuff. I think I have this idea that because it's a Serious, Literary book, I can't just pick it up and read in idle moments, but this is a bit silly.

When I finish it, I have another Einar Már Guðmundsson book to read, "Bítlaávarpið."

[Expugnator]

If I remember well, I used to follow your log at HTLAL as well. The fact there is a show about people who are learning the language only adds up to the Wanderlust!

Apologies for the late reply - but there's a show about people learning Icelandic?? How did I not know about this, and what is it?

Ugh I'm sorry I completely forgot what I was referring to...maybe it was something in your log?

[Soffía]

If I remember well, I used to follow your log at HTLAL as well. The fact there is a show about people who are learning the language only adds up to the Wanderlust!

Apologies for the late reply - but there's a show about people learning Icelandic?? How did I not know about this, and what is it?

Ugh I'm sorry I completely forgot what I was referring to...maybe it was something in your log?

No worries - maybe it was! In which case I've completely forgotten too...

[Soffía]

Did I already tell you that since you've reached B1 in Icelandic you're a hero for me?

I'm both flattered and feel like I should immediately issue a whole list of disclaimers! You know how it is with language learning, half the time you're really proud of yourself and the other half of the time you feel like you don't understand anything at all...

When it comes to speaking I'm certainly not at B1 yet. I get tongue-tied very easily right now, and I think a lot of it is a mental block from self-consciousness and perfectionism, because I remember wanting to try chatting away in Icelandic when I first started learning. (I started learning with an audio course that was all about how to put sentences together, so perhaps there's a moral in there.) Being able to say a bit more is going to be a priority for me this year, because it was frustrating being on a course where we were spending our leisure time in Icelandic and not being able to make much more in the way of conversation than "I intend to go swimming tomorrow."

My comprehension is probably about B1; the course was taught 95% in Icelandic and I could follow it. I can catch the gist of many news stories and have been listening to this children's podcast about science with fairly full comprehension. I can't watch TV shows without subtitles through, or really follow conversations that I overhear on the street.

When it comes to reading I think I'm at the stronger end of B1. I can read simple adult novels with - I want to say 'decent comprehension' but actually I have a high tolerance for ambiguity, so I just skip over or guess what I don't understand. I enjoy it, though, so perhaps that's a good sign!

Anyway, thanks. It's been a challenge and this is my first foreign language, so I definitely went in at the deep end...

[Tristano]

But you can read in Icelandic. Do you realize how badass is this?
I'm Italian, living in the Netherlands, with a Mediterranean look. With the bears they tell me that I can be exchanged as Arabic. Now if people see me reading in Arabic or Persian they will say: "well, he's Arabic". In Turkish " he's Turkish ". In Portuguese: " he's Portuguese." Same story in Spanish or Greek. If they see me reading in Mandarin, they will think that I must have done professional reason, in Japanese that I'm an otaku. But in Icelandic? That will just leave them with a giant WTF

[Soffía]

But you can read in Icelandic. Do you realize how badass is this?

Possibly a little badass. I've been reading these cheesy romance novels in Icelandic because they're easy, and cheap, but they have the most appalling embarrassing covers. My friend said they wouldn't read them in public. If they'd been in English I'd agree - but as it is, I feel secure in my badass-ness.

But in Icelandic? That will just leave them with a giant WTF

To be fair, the number of people who can recognise written Icelandic is probably very small. But still, you the reader would know, and that's what matters.

[Tristano]

But still. Icelandic looks very Germanic and exotic.
North Europe and blond people is the first association. And I'm the opposite
Anyway, good luck with Icelandic I bought three books. Two translations from ludlum books and an original Icelandic novel. Don't ask me the titles

[Soffía]

Word of the day: Þágufallssýki

The illness that causes Icelanders to use the dative when they should be using the accusative. For example, "Mér langar í ís," instead of "Mig langar í ís."

http://blogs.transparent.com/icelandic/2015/07/02/when-icelanders-fail-icelandic/
https://is.wikipedia.org/wiki/Þágufallssýki
http://www.visindavefur.is/svar.php?id=5031