Faroese language

Faroese is a West Nordic or West Scandinavian language spoken by about 40,000 people in the Faroe Islands. It is one of two insular Scandinavian languages (the other is Icelandic), which have their origins in the Old Norse language spoken in Scandinavia in the Viking Age. Although the written form is very similar to Icelandic, in pronunciation it has been influenced by Norwegian.

Faroese tradition was mostly oral until a standard for written Faroese was established in 1846 by Venceslaus Ulricus Hammershaimb.

Classification

(all languages)

Indo-European

Germanic

North Germanic

West Scandinavian

Faroese