The webzine Mannamál is a new forum for sharing knowledge and discussing various issues related to Icelandic and other languages spoken in Iceland. The webzine is published by the Department of Icelandic at The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies.
The contributing authors have different backgrounds but they all work with language, whether as researchers, teachers, policy makers or developers of language technology. The name of the webzine, Mannamál, reflects both the content and the approach we wish to take in presenting the material.
In Icelandic, the word mannamál has a long-recorded history and is first attested in texts from the 13th century. According to the oldest sources, the word refers to the sound of voices heard from a distance. In texts from the 17th century, mannamál is also used to describe human language, in contrast to the language of animals. According to folklore, cows speak in mannamál on Midsummer Night and New Year's Eve. In recent decades, the word has gained a third meaning: speaking in clear language or speaking bluntly. These three senses of the word are defined in the Dictionary of Contemporary Icelandic.
The webzine Mannamál aims to cover a broad range of subjects, presenting findings from current research projects and discussing various topics such as new and old vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and style. Additionally, it will include opinion pieces, introductions to new publications, and interviews with individuals active in the field. Selected articles will also be published in English, Polish, or other languages.
The webzine is designed for a broad audience, with a particular focus on students in upper secondary schools and universities. Through this publication, we hope to increase public interest in Icelandic and other languages spoken in Iceland. Our goal is to educate readers and spark discussions about languages, including the written and unwritten rules that shape our communication, often without our awareness. We also aim to address the linguistic situation in Iceland and on the global stage, presenting the perspectives of both native and second-language speakers of Icelandic.
New material will be published regularly, and readers will be able to subscribe to a mailing list starting in early 2025.
Höfundur
Ritstjórn Mannamáls skipa þau Ari Páll Kristinsson, Atli Jasonarson, Branislav Bédi, Helga Hilmisdóttir og Steinþór Steingrímsson.
