Languages of Greenland
This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2014) |
Languages of Greenland | |
---|---|
Official | Greenlandic |
Recognised | Danish |
Immigrant | English Filipino Thai Icelandic Swedish Norwegian Finnish French Romanian Bulgarian Other |
Foreign | English Norwegian / Swedish French / German / Spanish |
Signed | Greenlandic Sign Language |
Keyboard layout | |
Source | Statistics Greenland (2008) |
The official language of
Greenland has been a very isolated and linguistically homogeneous island historically, but has nevertheless been home to several languages. Greenlandic Norse is believed to have been in language contact with Greenlandic, the language of the indigenous Kalaallit, and to have left loanwords in that language.[2] It has been suggested that the female given name Kuuna derives from kona, the Old Norse word for "woman" and "wife".[3]
The available evidence does not establish the presence of language attrition; the language most likely disappeared with the ethnic group that spoke it.[4]
Greenlandic is not only the national language, but is now "the official language in Greenland" by virtue of Act no. 473, adopted by parliament 12 June 2009, the Act on Greenland Self-Government.[5]
Studying Danish and English is mandatory for students in compulsory schools and also part of many secondary-level study programmes, so knowledge of the two languages is widespread. Other foreign languages frequently studied include German and French.
Temporary
In May 2023, a Greenlandic MP spoke her native language during a debate in the Danish parliament, causing a controversy and highlighting strained relations between Denmark and Greenland.[6]
See also
References
- ^ Ethnolgue
- ^ Jahr, p. 233.
- ^ "girls name Kuuna – Oqaasileriffik". Retrieved 2021-03-07.
- ^ Bandle, p. 1234.
- ^ "Act no. 473 of 12 June 2009" (doc). The Prime Minister's Office. p. 7. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
Chapter 20; Greenlandic shall be the official language in Greenland.
- ^ "Awkward moment in Denmark's parliament as Greenlandic MP refuses to speak Danish". Reuters. 2023-05-12. Retrieved 2023-05-13.