"But in my opinion, trying to pronounce Old Icelandic
as it was spoken
1100 years ago is pointless. Languages change.
Pronouncing Old
Icelandic with the modern sounds (not so terribly
different in any
case) is perfectly acceptable and is even done here in
Iceland, where
we speak the language every day. Language is a
continuum, not a self-
contained period in time. Think diachronic, not
synchronic.

Chad"

I think there is a point of trying to get the
pronounciuation as close as to how it would have been
because why bother learning a 'dead' language anyway
when an 'expert' can translate works in said language
for you into English? Why not simply learn modern
Icelandic if you're not that bothered about being
authentic? Latin is not pronouced the same as Italian
and biblical Hebrew was not always pronounced the same
as colloquial Hebrew so why pronounce Old norse as if
it were Icelandic?

Hrimalfr




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