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English Proficiency in the Faroe Islands

Posted: 2013-09-22, 8:35
by September
I was wondering if anyone knows how widespread English fluency is in the Faroes. Is it like Iceland, where everyone speaks fluent English, or is it common to find people who do not speak it (or don't speak it proficiently)?

I would like to visit someday, and I want to know if there'd be any practical application in knowing Faroese. (Obviously I'm still going to learn it, but actually being able to speak to someone would make it more of a priority.) I don't speak any Danish, so anyone who didn't know English well would be forced to speak Faroese with me. :twisted:

Sorry for posting this all in English, but I want to make sure I word everything precisely as I mean it. :P

Re: English Proficiency in the Faroe Islands

Posted: 2013-09-26, 4:27
by Garethw87
Local people aged say 30/35 + would probably only speak Faroe and Danish, unless they had some reason to have learnt English or whatever. Why would a Faroe fisherman have learnt English.. type thing!

Saying that they are very small and obviously nobody will take the time to learn Faroe so I imagine the younger ones will speak, Faroe, Danish, English and probably something else just incase!

I've seen a few documentaries on the island where the guide is speaking in faroe and not English