Nýrómur, a three-year research and development project to create a comprehensive system for computer-assisted Icelandic pronunciation training, has been launched. The project addresses a pressing need in Icelandic society, where immigrants now comprise over 18% of the population, and international interest in the Icelandic language and culture continues to grow.
Nýrómur builds upon the pronunciation training system developed during the CAPTinI project between 2020 and 2023. The new system utilises advanced speech technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assess students’ pronunciation in real-time and provide personalised feedback, adapted to each student's proficiency and needs.
“Pronunciation is often one of the biggest hurdles for those learning Icelandic,” says Dr Jón Guðnason, Project Manager at Reykjavík University. “With Nýrómur, we are creating a tool that makes pronunciation training accessible anywhere, anytime, with immediate and accurate feedback.”
Specialisation for Icelandic
The project emphasises pronunciation features that can be difficult for foreign students, such as vowel length and rhythm (intonation and stress). The system aims to be integrated into the Icelandic Online platform at the University of Iceland (UI), an interactive teaching platform for Icelandic as a second/foreign language, where nearly 300,000 people have studied since its inception. Furthermore, the pronunciation system will be made accessible and open so that those who develop software in this field can utilise its products.
“In Icelandic, there are various pronunciation characteristics that need specific training for non-native speakers,” explains Dr Kolbrún Friðriksdóttir, the project’s Manager at the University of Iceland. “By integrating advanced technology and proven pedagogical methods, we can help students achieve better results in speaking and listening comprehension and boost their confidence in communication.”
Wide-ranging collaboration
The project is the result of collaboration between three leading institutions and one company: Reykjavík University leads the project and provides expertise in speech technology; the University of Iceland contributes expertise in linguistics and second language teaching, as well as access to Icelandic Online; the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies contributes knowledge and experience in linguistics and second language studies, and Vikonnekt handles technical implementation and long-term sustainability.
“Icelandic Online has proven to be an invaluable resource for Icelandic learners worldwide,” says Kolbrún. “By adding advanced pronunciation training, we hope to make the platform even more efficient and useful for users.”
Benefits for Society
The aim is to facilitate immigrants' integration into society through increased Icelandic proficiency, improve staff's communication skills in multicultural workplaces, and provide teachers with modern tools to support their students.
Nýrómur is a three-year project (2025–2028) supported by the Language and Technology Initiative, contributing approximately 90 million Icelandic Króna. The first version of the system will be deployed immediately so that users can benefit from the project from the outset.