Elfdalian

Elfdalian, also known as Övdalsmål, is a North Germanic language spoken by around 3,000 people primarily in the municipality of Älvdalen in Dalarna, Sweden. It is considered by some linguists to be a distinct language, while others classify it as a dialect of Swedish.

The classification debate stems from Elfdalian's significant divergence from Standard Swedish. It retains many features that have been lost in other Scandinavian languages, including complex grammatical cases (accusative, dative, genitive), nasal vowels, and a distinct verb conjugation system. These features align it more closely with Old Norse than modern Swedish.

Elfdalian has faced challenges in maintaining its vitality, largely due to the dominance of Swedish in education and official contexts. However, there have been efforts to revitalize the language, including teaching it in schools, publishing literature and music in Elfdalian, and promoting its use in the community. These efforts aim to preserve Elfdalian's unique linguistic heritage and ensure its continued survival. The language has also gained increased attention in recent years due to scholarly interest in its archaic features and its potential contribution to understanding the evolution of North Germanic languages.