Yes, Icelandic is close to Old Norse, but I can't say how close.
There are many Icelandics living in Sweden and I would say that most people find their culture and language extremely cool!
For me, it's a bit double, though. The reason I know how to pronounce Icelandic names is partly because my best friend in elementary school was an Icelandic girl. For one year, we were
perlevenner (Icelandic for very best friends; really "pearl friends"), but then she all of a sudden grew tired of me and then she and her new friends started to bully me.
Later she and her family returned to Iceland.
I still sometimes have nightmares about her, almost 30 years later, and although I read Icelandic authors, watch Icelandic TV crime series and love the Icelandic language, I always panic if I meet someone from Iceland, because something deep inside think they will hurt me, too. I know most people from Iceland are very good people, but the time of bullying is a wound that will never heal.
Sorry for ranting.
Does the sea exist
Because of our longing?
My PNL
http://www.behindthename.com/pnl/3258/61573This message was edited 3/26/2018, 11:48 AM