Computers can't grasp Icelandic. Here's why that's a big problem

Many new computer devices do not understand Icelandic, a unique descendant of the Old Norse language filled with ultra-descriptive words such as Hundslappadrifa, or "heavy snowfall with large flakes occurring in calm wind." This omission is compounding a bigger issue on the North Atlantic island of about 340,000 people. SEE ALSO: Companies will have to prove equal pay in Iceland now, and it's pretty great Icelandic, seen by residents as a source of identity and pride, is losing ground as English becomes the lingua franca of mass tourism and voice-activated devices, the Associated Press reported. Linguistic experts have warned the language is at risk of dying out in the modern world, particularly as tourism booms and foreign workers find more jobs on the rugged island. Unless the government, educators, families, and tech developers make a concerted effort to preserve Icelandic, it could easily be relegated to history books.