Should You Learn Scandinavian Languages?

Which Scandinavian languages should I learn?

Is Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, and Finnish worth the effort? Is Icelandic or Faroese even a language? What is the difference between Nordic and Scandinavian languages? Read along.

Barring a few exceptions, most European languages are part of the Indo-European group.

Within the Indo-European family, there are various sub-categories.

One of these is the Germanic family. All modern Germanic languages are descended from a common ancestor traditionally called Proto-Germanic.

This family group is further divided into three parts:

• North Germanic (Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish, Danish),
• West Germanic (English, Frisian, Flemish, Dutch, Afrikaans, German, Yiddish), and
• Defunct East Germanic comprises Gothic, Vandalic, and Burgundian that no longer exist.

Many scholars believe that since the Goths came from North Europe.

Therefore, eastern Germanic languages were probably variants of the Nordic family of languages, even though most went extinct without much-written attestation.

The last known text was found in the Crimea area, historically a sparsely populated region in the 18th century, which is why it is called Crimean Gothic.

History of Scandinavian Languages 

In some distant time, people in North-Central Europe speak some variants of the Germanic group.

That is why it is called North Germanic or Nordic language.

Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Finland, Faroe Islands) are referred to as Nordic countries, whereas “Scandinavia” is commonly used for Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Thus, Scandinavia can be considered a subset of the Nordic countries.

They share enough standard lexical, grammatical, and phonetic features to prove a common origin. Over several centuries, it was divided between West and East Scandinavian.

The division started in the 8th century, during the Vikings’ period. Initially, the difference between West and East Scandinavian languages or dialects was relatively slight, but later, by the 16th century.

The difference was considerably noticeable.

Nowadays, East and West Scandinavian languages are now reconfigured into:

• Insular Scandinavian (Icelandic and Faroese), and
• Continental Scandinavian (Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian).

While Finland is politically, culturally, and geographically affiliated with the Scandinavia region, Finnish is an entirely different language and part of the Finno-Ugric group.

That means Finish is more related to Uralic, such as Hungarian or Estonian, than neighbor Swedish or North Germanic.

1. Swedish

More than 10 million people speak Swedish. It is the official language in Sweden (declared for the first time in 2009) and is de facto along with Finnish in parts of Finland.

It is also the official and working language of the European Union and Nordic Council, respectively.

Every language has some variations, and Swedish is no different. It has many dialects. For academic reasons, Swedish is broadly divided into six broad groups.

These are South Swedish (Skåne), Götaland, Svealand, Norrland, Finland Swedish, and Gotland.

The Swedish spoken today comes from the different dialects expressed in other parts of Sweden. After the 19th century, Standard Swedish (standard Svenska) prevailed throughout the country.

Different dialects are still spoken in the various regions of Sweden. However, usage has declined over the years.

Roek Runestone is the oldest Swedish inscription in stone.

It dates back to about 800 CE during Vikings, and therefore, it marks the beginning of the history of Swedish literature.

2. Icelandic

Icelandic is the official language of Iceland, with an estimated 350,000 speakers worldwide. However, due to isolation, extreme weather, and distance, Icelandic has remained an insular language.

It had changed very little from when the country was settled in the ninth century.

Generally, Icelandic does not adopt foreign words, opting to coin new ones. Most Icelandic speak good English, and the economy is relatively small.

There is no reason to learn unless you plan to immigrate to Reykjavik or any other part of Iceland.

If you want to travel, there is no need to worry about Icelandic. English is spoken every day and well-spoken everywhere in the country.

3. Faroese

It is the official language of the Faroe Islands. However, it is spoken only by approximately 80,000 people worldwide.

Besides the Faroe Islands, around 25,000 people in Denmark and 5,000 in Iceland speak Faroese.

English is also widely spoken in the country, and there is no need to learn even if you visit this beautiful island.

4. Norwegian

There are around 5 million native Norwegian speakers, and it is the official language of Norway.

Regulated by the Norwegian Language Council, Norwegian has two official written forms, Bokmål and Nynorsk.

For more than four centuries, Norway was ruled by Denmark (Danish Kings), and Danish was the official language.

Bokmål is Norwegianised Danish, the most extended form of written Norwegian (85%- 90% of the population).

That is why Norwegian looks similar to Danish.

On the other hand, Ivar Aasen traveled across Norway, collecting and listening to different dialects, and created Nynorsk, a cocktail of various dialects throughout the country.

Today, every student has to learn to read and write both forms of Norwegian writing.

Norway does not have a standard spoken language.

Like many other European countries, Norway’s regions have accents, dialects, and sometimes different languages.

While some dialects are similar to bokmål and some to Nynorsk, you can speak your dialect in practically every situation since most are mutually intelligible.

5. Danish

Denmark’s national and de facto language is one of two official languages of the Faroe Islands.

It is widespread in Greenland and Iceland.

You’ll also find some Danish speakers in Sweden, Germany, Canada, the US, Argentina, etc.

Danish is very close to Bokmål, the most popular form of written Norwegian. It is estimated that around 6 million people speak Danish today.

It is also a descendant of Old Norse, similar to other languages such as Faroese, Icelandic, Norwegian, and Swedish.

While few dialects, such as Bornholmsk and Jutlandic, a significant majority speak and understand Standard Danish (Rigsdansk).

It is based on dialects spoken in and around the capital, Copenhagen.

6. Finnish

Geographically, Finland could be considered Scandinavian.

However, Finnish is not a part of the North Germanic family. Instead, it is a Finno-Ugric language like Sámi, Estonian, and Hungarian.

Until 1809, Finland was part of Sweden, so Swedish was the official language. However, since 1892, Swedish and Finnish have been Finland’s official languages.

It is spoken by about 5 million people, mainly in Finland and some parts of Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Russia, etc.

Why Not Study Scandinavian Languages?

1. English is everywhere in the Scandinavia region

English is not a rare commodity in the north of Europe (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands).

Not only do they speak English exceptionally well, but they love it, too.

If they feel you cannot speak their language, they often switch to English for smoother conversations.

English is also a Germanic language like Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian.

Since they share many similar aspects, the learning process is more comfortable. This is one of the main reasons they learn English without trouble.

They watch many English TV shows and movies from America, whereas French, German, or Italian dub almost everything from American English into their native language.

2. Not very popular beyond North Central Europe

Approximately 20 million worldwide speak all the Nordic and Scandinavian languages combined, but this is only about 0.3% of the global population.

If your job or business requires knowledge of the Nordic language, it’s an entirely different matter.

Otherwise, the practical use and benefits you get out of it are not as high as, say, French, Spanish, or German.

3. Limited resources to learn

We can acknowledge that it is uncommon to find someone teaching Finnish, Swedish, Danish, or Norwegian who isn’t from Nordic countries.

One main reason is the lack of professional teachers and learning materials.

You might find various online lessons, language apps, and interactive courses. Still, few good books or language teachers are available beyond the Nordic countries.

Why Learn Scandinavian Languages?

An essential ingredient in language learning is the learner’s motivation, which can take different forms, such as needs, interests, and desires.

Here are a few reasons why to learn.

1. Scandinavian languages are mutually intelligibility

Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish are mutually intelligible, meaning speakers can understand one another.

Three For The Price Of One.

Danish and Norwegian are almost identical when it comes to the written part. Spoken Swedish and Norwegian are also quite similar.

However, Finnish and Icelandic are different.

Language learning is never easy. It requires a lot of time, effort, persistence, and discipline.

While regional dialects can present challenges, learning anyone is like learning three in one!

Norwegians, Danes, and Swedes can communicate without knowing the other.

2. Not very difficult for English speaker

Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish are the three most natural languages for English speakers to pick up.

If you know English, you will notice many cognates right at the start. However, learning any of these Nordic languages, notably Norwegian, is relatively easy.

It is easy to learn with lots of vocabulary and word order, similar to English.

3. Immigration to Nordic Countries

Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark are among the best countries to live in.

It is especially crucial for people who relocate to Nordic countries for an extended period, whether for studies or job opportunities.

Suppose you are serious about getting a job in Sweden, Denmark, or Norway. In that case, your number one priority should be learning it.

Speak the native language where you want to work and live. You’ll see immense benefits in your everyday life almost immediately.

Read → (i) Movies to learn Swedish (ii) Films to learn Norwegian (iii) Movies to study Danish.

4. Job and Business Opportunities

Good knowledge of any foreign language, especially North Germanic, is a plus for your CV and makes you more attractive to the Nordic region’s job market.

Therefore, it will make it easier for you to find work in many companies in the Nordic region.

Many international companies, where Knowledge of the North Germanic language is needed for some jobs, offer many business opportunities.

It will increase your chances of having a successful career involving languages.

While all languages are vital, it depends on the person’s purpose, interest, target county, job requirement, etc.

If you plan to learn one of the Scandinavian languages but are unsure which one, Swedish is the best language to learn.

Here are the main reasons:-

Why Learn the Swedish language?

• With more than 10 million native speakers, Swedish is the most widely spoken among the North Germanic family. Once you learn Swedish, it will open the Danish and Norwegian doors, thanks to a high level of mutual intelligibility between the three.
• Sweden’s economy is the largest and most diversified economy in the Nordics. Fourteen of the 25 most valuable Nordic brands are from Sweden.
• Sweden is the best in almost everything. Not only is it the highest-ranking Nordic nation, but it was named the best country for women. And for raising children, doing business, having the most competitive economy, and living green. It is one of the best nations in many categories.
• Sweden is the birthplace of many successful innovative companies. Many big Swedish companies have global footprints, such as AstraZeneca, Electrolux, Ericsson, Volvo, H&M, and IKEA. As a result, Swedish offers better career prospects and job opportunities than others in the Nordic group.

Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish Courses in India

The Bengaluru Central University offers an eight-month certificate course in Finnish and Swedish through the Center For Global Studies.

There are a few institutes in various cities, such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bangalore, that offer Scandinavian language programs.

However, due to limited demand, these centers have no regular batches.

I will keep you updated. There are many language learning websites where you can study.