Just to mention it. In the continental Scandinavian languages, þ has become d in precisely those cases where þ is often pronounced voiced in Icelandic. Otherwise, older þ is represented by t. We can therefore assume that similar conditions prevailed just before these languages abandoned the dental fricative in initial position. And then we must remember that þ and ð are not to be considered phonemes in Icelandic, but as variants.
Thank you so much for these videos! I was getting frustrated by the lack of resources to learn Icelandic and almost giving up. Your videos alway make me feel better and I learn so much!
Very good video. Just a few points a want to add. First of all, in one of these examples you fail to mention/show one other common pronunciation rule that happens in common speech, which is how unstressed vowels disappear before following vowels. The example you had was "Hringdi hann í hana", and while "hringdiann" is just as correct pronunciation as "hringdi hann", the most common and normal pronunciation here would be "hringdann", where the unstressed "i" gets swallowed by the following "a". Note that this doesn't happen with stressed vowels, so "sá hann" is "sáann", and "í hana" is "íana" This can even happen when pronouns stack, so "sást þú hana" is most often written "sástu hana", but most often spoken as "sástana" (if no pronoun is emphasized of course) Pay in mind that when unstressed "i" gets swallowed like this, any palatalization effect it has on a "k" or "g" remains, so "ég þekki hann" is pronounced as "ég þekkjann", NOT *ég þekkann" Another point is that that when it comes to þessi/þetta, often rather than becoming "ð", the "þ" it just disappears like the "h" does. So "hann sagði þetta" is more often "sagðetta" rather than "sagðiðetta". Same with "ég sá þetta" becoming often "ég sáetta", and so forth. (another thing that I notice in my speech, but not sure how common with other icelanders, is that I pronounce "þetta" and "þennan" as "(þ)atta" and "(þ)annan", but still "þessi" as "(þ)essi" and "þessar" as "(þ)essar" and so forth. Again, not sure if just me, but now you know that at least one native here does that)
These are great points! I intended on making a later video on word-final vowels dropping, but I didn’t even think about how that would interact with this rule. Very astute observations! Your comments are always so concise and informed. I’d like to connect with you by email or social media if you’re willing. I like networking with Icelanders who have strong backgrounds in teaching and linguistics. My email is icelandicforforeigners@gmail.com.
Interesting topic. The h-dropping rule is exactly the same as that in British English, taught in EFL/ESL/ESOL classrooms to help learners to sound more fluent. What's odd, though, is that while English is very much a stress-timed language, which means lots of unstressed syllables of all kinds are 'reduced', Icelandic is not. In fact, to the ears of English native speakers it has a rhythm more akin to Spanish, where both stressed & unstressed syllables have much the same length and are fully & clearly articulated.
please please please make more pronunciation videos!!!!!! i’ve also noticed in native icelandic videos (like nýnemavakningar videos for example) that ppl will also drop the “ð” sound🤔 or maybe it’s just because they’re speaking fast? it’s been messing with me for a while in trying to perfect my pronunciation
Thanks for your videos, I´ve been learning Icelandic for about three months now and your videos have really helped me, can you do a video about the Present Perfect tense?
Yes, the H-dropping for pronouns in unstressed positions made me smile, as it is, as you point out, exactly what happens in British English ... and what we teach EFL/ESOL learners, in order to increase the fluency and naturalness of their speech. Why this is surprising, though, is that Icelandic has a much more syllable-timed rhythm than English, where it's the heavy stress-timing that causes so much vowel-reduction and consonant ellipsis.
![Personal Pronouns in Icelandic [EP.18]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XB2UgA7VPME/mqdefault.jpg)
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
Just to mention it. In the continental Scandinavian languages, þ has become d in precisely those cases where þ is often pronounced voiced in Icelandic. Otherwise, older þ is represented by t. We can therefore assume that similar conditions prevailed just before these languages abandoned the dental fricative in initial position. And then we must remember that þ and ð are not to be considered phonemes in Icelandic, but as variants.
Thank you so much for these videos! I was getting frustrated by the lack of resources to learn Icelandic and almost giving up. Your videos alway make me feel better and I learn so much!
We need more of this! I feel like there are a lot more cases where things like these happen in Icelandic
I love your channel and it deserves much more visibility! I'll do my best to spread the word. This is such a gem!
Very good video. Just a few points a want to add.
First of all, in one of these examples you fail to mention/show one other common pronunciation rule that happens in common speech, which is how unstressed vowels disappear before following vowels.
The example you had was "Hringdi hann í hana", and while "hringdiann" is just as correct pronunciation as "hringdi hann", the most common and normal pronunciation here would be "hringdann", where the unstressed "i" gets swallowed by the following "a".
Note that this doesn't happen with stressed vowels, so "sá hann" is "sáann", and "í hana" is "íana"
This can even happen when pronouns stack, so "sást þú hana" is most often written "sástu hana", but most often spoken as "sástana" (if no pronoun is emphasized of course)
Pay in mind that when unstressed "i" gets swallowed like this, any palatalization effect it has on a "k" or "g" remains, so "ég þekki hann" is pronounced as "ég þekkjann", NOT *ég þekkann"
Another point is that that when it comes to þessi/þetta, often rather than becoming "ð", the "þ" it just disappears like the "h" does.
So "hann sagði þetta" is more often "sagðetta" rather than "sagðiðetta". Same with "ég sá þetta" becoming often "ég sáetta", and so forth.
(another thing that I notice in my speech, but not sure how common with other icelanders, is that I pronounce "þetta" and "þennan" as "(þ)atta" and "(þ)annan", but still "þessi" as "(þ)essi" and "þessar" as "(þ)essar" and so forth. Again, not sure if just me, but now you know that at least one native here does that)
These are great points! I intended on making a later video on word-final vowels dropping, but I didn’t even think about how that would interact with this rule. Very astute observations! Your comments are always so concise and informed.
I’d like to connect with you by email or social media if you’re willing. I like networking with Icelanders who have strong backgrounds in teaching and linguistics. My email is icelandicforforeigners@gmail.com.
تحياتي لك أستاذي الفاضل أسعد الله كل أوقاتك.
Interesting topic. The h-dropping rule is exactly the same as that in British English, taught in EFL/ESL/ESOL classrooms to help learners to sound more fluent. What's odd, though, is that while English is very much a stress-timed language, which means lots of unstressed syllables of all kinds are 'reduced', Icelandic is not. In fact, to the ears of English native speakers it has a rhythm more akin to Spanish, where both stressed & unstressed syllables have much the same length and are fully & clearly articulated.
please please please make more pronunciation videos!!!!!! i’ve also noticed in native icelandic videos
(like nýnemavakningar videos for example) that ppl will also drop the “ð” sound🤔 or maybe it’s just because they’re speaking fast?
it’s been messing with me for a while in trying to perfect my pronunciation
Yes, that can happen too! Look at ThorirPP's comment on this video for his assessment as a native Icelander.
This is very helpful.
Excellent, thank you!
Thanks for your videos, I´ve been learning Icelandic for about three months now and your videos have really helped me, can you do a video about the Present Perfect tense?
Thank you for the compliment! That video is in the works :)
Thank you so much, you explain very well. Just tell me for example,,Hvað er þetta?"It is usually heard differently
This is very useful, thank you !
I even hear "ég gaVonum bókina" with a V, am I mistaken ?
Exactly! All pronunciation rules will apply when you smash the words together, for example: F in the middle of a word is pronounced V
@@icelandicforforeigners Thank you !
Við gerum það sama á ensku með "him", "her" og "them"!
Gleðileg jól og farsælt komandi ár!
Alveg satt! Gleðilega hátíð og bonne année!
Yes, the H-dropping for pronouns in unstressed positions made me smile, as it is, as you point out, exactly what happens in British English ... and what we teach EFL/ESOL learners, in order to increase the fluency and naturalness of their speech. Why this is surprising, though, is that Icelandic has a much more syllable-timed rhythm than English, where it's the heavy stress-timing that causes so much vowel-reduction and consonant ellipsis.
L
Olof