Unique Book on the Grammar of Elfdalian to be released

The first ever grammar of Elfdalian in English – A Grammar of Elfdalian – is soon to be released. The unique book was written by Yair Sapir, Senior Lecturer of Swedish Language at Kristianstad University, Sweden, together with Olof Lundgren, PhD candidate at General Linguistics at Lund University, Sweden, and will be published by UCL Press in London.

This book is the third grammar of Elfdalian to be published, but the first one ever in English and the first to utilise an up-to-date linguistic terminology. Moreover, it is the first time a grammar of a so-called Swedish "dialect" is published in English. This allows an international readership to, for the first time, explore the unique characteristics of Elfdalian. The book focuses on the "Late Classical Elfdalian” spoken in Älvdalen – a locality and the seat of Älvdalen Municipality in Dalarna County, Sweden – by people born before 1900, which is now being revitalised in that region. The book uses the standard orthography for Elfdalian created by Råðdjärum, the Elfdalian Language Council, in 2005.

A Grammar of Elfdalian partly draws on the diaries of Frost-Anders, an important corpus for this language form, written in the 1940s but hidden and unknown until 2013. These diaries, now partially published, provide a crucial source for a more complete understanding of the language, as the manuscript contains the longest written texts in Late Classical Elfdalian.

– With the new grammar, Olof and I aim to provide a more comprehensive description of Classical Elfdalian, its structure, phonology, and current status, than hitherto” - says Yair Sapir. “Thanks to the Frost-Anders diaries, we now have a better understanding of this language form. The standard orthography also allows the grammar to 'communicate' with other, newer texts in Elfdalian – dictionaries, newly published children's literature, etc. This has previously been challenging due to the use of different orthographies in various Elfdalian texts.

The authors hope that the book will shed light on a lesser-known Nordic language (as many view Elfdalian), but also to serve as a tool for those interested in learning the language, particularly within the framework of the on-going revitalization efforts in Älvdalen, where Late Classical Elfdalian is used as a model.

– I teach Elfdalian from time to time in various contexts, and I hope that the new grammar will be a helpful tool both for me as a teacher and for my students, - says Yair.

The book A Grammar of Elfdalian will be available from September 30, 2024, but can already be pre-ordered. See also: A Grammar of Elfdalian | UCL Press

Yair Sapir will give talks on the new book at the following locations this fall:

• Dalarnas Museum, Falun, Sweden, October 1, 13-15 (Book launch and talk)

• Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden, October 25, 13-15 (also streamed online)

• University College of London, UK, November 1, 14.00-15.30 (also streamed online)

About Elfdalian today
With approximately 2,500 speakers and local engagement in its preservation, Elfdalian is subject to revitalisation efforts. Despite recommendations from the Council of Europe, Elfdalian does not have a status as a recognised minority language in Sweden.

For more information, contact:
Yair Sapir, Senior Lecturer of Swedish, Kristianstad University