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In:The Loss of Primordial Language and the Future of National Languages
Edited by Irene Capdevila and Francesc Feliu
[IVITRA Research in Linguistics and Literature 47] 2026
► pp. 208–223

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Langue minorée, petite langue

Que nous apprennent les îles Féroé?

 | Université de Picardie Jules Verne — CERCLL

Article language: French

Published online: 23 March 2026
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/ivitra.47.13elo
Abstract
Two hundred years ago, the Faroe Islands, an archipelago under Danish rule located between Iceland and Scotland, spoke Faroese, a language closely related to Icelandic and Norwegian. However, Danish was the only written language, and it was also the only language used in religious services. Since then, the population has grown (to 50.000 inhabitants), as has the sense of national identity, and the islands now enjoy a high degree of autonomy within the Kingdom of Denmark. Today, Faroese is the official language, used in everyday life, in education, and in literature. We will trace the history of this success story, in an attempt to identify the key factors that contributed to it. Finally, we will discuss some discernible factors of this evolution.
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • 1.Les Féroé en deux mots
    • 1.1Histoire ancienne
    • 1.2Economie et démographie
    • 1.3Le mouvement national et la langue
    • 1.4Aujourd’hui
  • 2.La langue féroïenne
    • 2.1Histoire externe de la langue
    • 2.2La scolarisation
    • 2.3Une histoire de la littérature
    • 2.4Les données linguistiques
  • 3.Retour sur les facteurs qui ont été décisifs
    • 3.1L’insularité
    • 3.2La culture communautaire
    • 3.3Une diglossie longtemps stable
      • Comparaison 1: La langue des Shetland a disparu
      • Comparaison 2: En Islande, la langue s’est imposée
    • 3.4Persistance de la langue
  • 4.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • Références
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