Old Norse language

Old Norse was a North Germanic language spoken by the Vikings and their descendants from roughly the 9th to the 14th centuries. It served as the linguistic foundation for the modern Scandinavian languages—Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, and Faroese. Old Norse is known for its rich vocabulary, poetic forms, and complex grammar, including a system of inflected nouns and verbs. It was primarily used in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, and its literature includes legendary sagas, poetry, and mythological texts. Today, Old Norse remains important for understanding Norse history, culture, and ancient Scandinavian identity.