Editing Iceland (section)

===Language===
{{main|Languages of Iceland|Icelandic language}}
{{see also|Icelandic name}}
Iceland's official written and spoken language is [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]], a [[North Germanic languages|North Germanic language]] descended from [[Old Norse]]. In grammar and vocabulary, it has changed less from Old Norse than the other Nordic languages; Icelandic has preserved more verb and noun [[inflection]], and has to a considerable extent developed new vocabulary based on native roots rather than borrowings from other languages. The puristic tendency in the development of Icelandic vocabulary is to a large degree a result of conscious language planning, in addition to centuries of isolation. Icelandic is the only living language to retain the use of the [[runic]] letter [[Þ]] in [[Latin script]]. The closest living relative of the Icelandic language is [[Faroese language|Faroese]].

[[Icelandic Sign Language]] was officially recognised as a minority language in 2011. In education, its use for Iceland's deaf community is [[Legal recognition of sign languages|regulated]] by the ''National Curriculum Guide''.

English and Danish are compulsory subjects in the school curriculum. English is widely understood and spoken, while basic to moderate knowledge of Danish is common mainly among the older generations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.icelandexport.is/english/about_iceland/icelandic_language/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061013003321/http://www.icelandexport.is/english/about_iceland/icelandic_language/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 October 2006 |title=Icelandic Language |work=Iceland Trade Directory |publisher=icelandexport.is |access-date=22 April 2010 }}</ref> [[Polish language|Polish]] is mostly spoken by the local Polish community (the largest minority of Iceland), and Danish is mostly spoken in a way largely comprehensible to Swedes and Norwegians—it is often referred to as {{lang|is|skandinavíska}} (i.e. ''Scandinavian'') in Iceland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heimur.is/heimur/leit/frettir/Default.asp?ew_1_a_id=138249 |title=Heimur&nbsp;– Útgáfufyrirtækið |publisher=Heimur.is |access-date=8 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511213824/http://www.heimur.is/heimur/leit/frettir/Default.asp?ew_1_a_id=138249 |archive-date=11 May 2011 }}</ref>

Rather than using [[family name]]s, as is the usual custom in most Western nations, most Icelanders carry [[patronymic]] or [[matronymic]] surnames, patronyms being far more commonly practised. Patronymic last names are based on the first name of the father, while matronymic names are based on the first name of the mother. These follow the person's given name, e.g. {{lang|is|Elísabet Jónsdóttir}} ("Elísabet, Jón's daughter" (Jón being the father)) or {{lang|is|Ólafur Katrínarson}} ("Ólafur, Katrín's son" (Katrín being the mother)).<ref>[http://www.nordicnames.de/wiki/Surnames "Surnames – Nordic Names Wiki – Name Origin, Meaning and Statistics"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005121549/http://www.nordicnames.de/wiki/Surnames |date=5 October 2013 }}. ''Nordicnames.de'' (16 September 2013). Retrieved 5 January 2014.</ref> Consequently, Icelanders refer to one another by their given name, and the Icelandic telephone directory lists people alphabetically by the first name rather than by surname.<ref>[http://travel-wonders.com/2009/09/28/the-icelandic-phonebook-surprise/ "The Icelandic Phonebook Surprise"]. ''Travel Wonders of the World'' (28 September 2009). {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904011254/http://travel-wonders.com/2009/09/28/the-icelandic-phonebook-surprise/ |date=4 September 2018 }}. Retrieved 5 January 2014.</ref> All new names must be approved by the [[Icelandic Naming Committee]].