Góðan daginn! Well that is the extent of my knowledge on day one. While I may not be able to order a beer or hot dog (yet!) I have found a lot of resources that will be very helpful to get me started. I have written a short summary of my current finds and how I plan on using them.
I Heart Reykjavík – Blog
Easily the best website I have found for anything Icelandic. A brilliant blog with seemingly endless advice for travelling in Iceland (which has been a massive help planning my trip) but she also has a really funny podcast series on learning Icelandic phrases. They may not be the traditional travel phrases but who doesn’t want to know how to order a hot dog with everything or tell someone they can’t braid my beard. They are all really funny which I think will make them a lot more fun to learn and easier to remember.
Sarpurinn – Radio
Following a very useful post on I Heart Reykjavík i have a great Icelandic radio app that is available for android and iOS. I love listening to the radio to relax and so when I am learning a language I always like to find a good radio app for training my ear and learning catchy songs. Auður recommends Rás 2 as it has more Icelandic talk which is exactly what I am looking for.
Lonely Planet Guide – Phrasebook
As with all holidays I have purchased the mandatory Lonely Planet guide which is always good as a travel companion, planner and a phrasebook. Now the usually in depth language section is all of 2 pages which won’t be as useful as I had thought but may be useful to focus on some specific phrases if I can find audio to go with it.
A beginners’ mp3 course in modern Icelandic – Audiobook & Flashcards
This a free online copy of a 16 hour Icelandic course made for Leeds university which seems to cover all the basics in short 2-3 min. I always love to find a good audiobook when learning a language as it trains my ear and focuses on speaking at an early stage. I have previously used Pimsleur or the very entertaining Coffee Break series but this seems to be the only Icelandic language podcast available anywhere.
Now is just the task of starting to use them and learning some actual Icelandic. Let the fun begin!
