Faroese love poem
Spegil
Spegilsmyndin av tær,
Er min fagrasta yrking,
Men ber skjótt at, hon hvørvir.
Tað er mítt síðsta “eg elski teg”!
Other version
Tín ímynd í spegilinum
Er mín vakrasta yrking
Men, skunda tær, tað hvørvir
Tað er mítt síðsta "eg elski teg"
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Faroese language
Translation and interpretation of the love poem into Faroese tórshavn (Faeroese, føroyskt mál, Tórshavn), an insular Nordic language, that is to say western Nordic of the group of North Germanic languages, of the Indo-European language family.
The Faroese language is spoken in the Faroe (Faeroe) Islands (Denmark) by 70,000 people; islands which are halfway between Iceland and Scotland.
Close to Icelandic, Faroese has retained features of Old Nordic (Old Norse) and more exactly of the ancient dialects of western Norway. Old Norse, Icelandic and Faroese are quite similar languages.
Oral Faroese literature is old, but the first book printed in Faroese dates from 1822, it is "Færøiske Qvæder om Sigurd Fafnersbane og hans Æt", a book of importance for the Faroese language but still steeped in Danish tradition.
In 1823 J.H.Schrøter translated the Gospel into Faroese, until then the Faroese read it in Danish.
The real emergence of Faroese literature did not take place until later around 1888 with the nationalist movement. The written language will be established during this 19th century.
Since the twentieth the Faroese has gradually conquered its place alongside the Dane, and this in all areas of social life.
Hammersheimb is considered the founder of the Faroese language (1846), and Sigurd's ballads are the flagship of Faroese literature and still considered a national treasure.
Since 1937 Faroese has been the language of instruction and recognized as an official language in the Faroe Islands since 1948.
Until 1350 it is estimated that Norwegian, Faroese and Icelandic remain very close. Then it's Icelandic, followed by Faroese that will change the most.
Faroe Islands
Norwegians reach and colonize the Faroe Islands around 800; the Icelandic sagas suggest that they would have reached them from the British Isles. It is only after the union of Kalmar that they will be attached to Denmark.
For the rest, after an English occupation of 8 years (1807-1814), with the peace of Kiel, they become Danish again.
If at the end of the 19th the Faroese claim their autonomy, it is only after the second world war, during which they are occupied by the British that they will acquire a certain autonomy).
The referendum of 1946 for their independence as a protectorate, will be ratified by the Danish government.