Elfdalian

Language and culture 1

Why a Swedish politician is demanding the right to speak an ancient 'forest language' in parliament

Sweden's forest language Elfdalian is at risk of dying out, and this week a politician took the question of its survival to parliament.

Language and culture

Ten common phrases in Sweden's ancient forest language Elfdalian

With only 3,000 speakers confined to a small area of Dalarna County, Sweden's ancient forest language Elfdalian is undoubtedly unique. Now, experts in the tongue have picked out 10 key phrases for The Local so we can all do a little to help keep it alive.

Language and culture

How Sweden's ancient language Elfdalian is being saved by Minecraft

A group of international language enthusiasts has come up with a way to save one of Sweden's most ancient and endangered languages – by recreating the village where it is spoken in Minecraft.

Language and culture

Sweden's lost forest language now has international speakers

Why travel to Sweden to learn an ancient Viking language that's on the brink of dying out? The Local spoke to one of the international students at a new course to find out.

Elfdalian

Can Sweden's ancient forest language be saved?

Campaigners are pushing for an ancient Viking tongue to be officially recognized as a language in Sweden in the hope that it could help preserve it for future generations.

Elfdalian

Sweden's lost forest language gets international recognition

The rare Viking language Elfdalian has gained international recognition after it was assigned an ISO language code.

Language and culture

Lost forest language to be taught in Swedish preschool

Elfdalian, a rare Viking language, is getting a revival after local politicians agreed to build a new preschool in Älvdalen, the small forest community that still uses it.