
About this episode
Today, an episode of Far Flung with Saleem Reshamwala, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective. Icelandic is an ancient and iconic language that inspired J.R.R. Tolkien when he wrote "The Lord of the Rings." But with the digital age, and the strict rules surrounding its grammar, Icelandic is losing ground all over the country -- specifically to English. Now Icelanders are split, using English for social and online interactions and Icelandic for more formal conversations. Listen to why some Icelanders are concerned about this linguistic tug-of-war and why others are celebrating this new, multi-language way of communicating. Saleem also sits down with Elise to give us a book recommendation that dives deeper into these ideas: "Gold Diggers" by Sanjena Sathian. This episode is part of the TED Talks Daily summer book club, a series featuring talks and interviews to inspire your next great read.
Get every episode summarized
Each time TED Talks publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from TED Talks

The nostalgia behind your favorite Chinese food | Vincent Yeow Lim
TED Talks
Mar 1, 202310:29pending

The fascinating physics of insect pee | Saad Bhamla
TED Talks
Feb 28, 20239:28pending

3 steps to getting what you want in a negotiation | Ruchi Sinha
TED Talks
Feb 27, 20235:46pending

What women athletes need to unlock their full potential | Kate Ackerman
TED Talks
Feb 24, 202317:24pending