Snorri Másson seeks mandatory Icelandic in advertising

Snorri Másson, deputy chairman of the Centre Party, has proposed requiring companies to use Icelandic in advertisements and on signs, with Icelandic text more prominent than text in other languages, mbl.is reports.

“I have had enough,” Másson said in a speech to Iceland’s parliament on Tuesday, listing English phrases commonly seen in shops and services: “Grocery store, bakery, lunch, menu, street food, take away, open, closed.”

He said those phrases represented only the tip of the iceberg in what he called the excessive intrusion of English.

“This has worsened greatly in recent years, to the point that English appears to have won a complete victory in some places,” Másson said.

Alongside his speech, he submitted a bill proposing amendments to marketing laws. Under the proposal, advertisements in Iceland would have to be in Icelandic. Other languages could also be used, but Icelandic would have to be the most prominent text, for example by appearing at the top, in bold or in a larger font.

The rule would also cover signs, direction signs, names for types of businesses and outdoor advertising, including political campaign advertisements.

“It was a grocery store, Mr Speaker, not a ‘grocery store’,” Másson said.

Current law states that advertisements aimed at Icelandic consumers must be in Icelandic. Másson wants that limitation removed and said the existing system had worked poorly.

The bill’s explanatory notes refer, among other things, to signs at the Leif Erikson airport terminal that appear entirely in English. They also cite France, Latvia, Estonia and Quebec in Canada as examples of places where measures have been taken to protect the language.

Másson said encouragement for companies and institutions had not been enough and that it was time to legislate.

“How far must this go before we act? The time is now. This is a question of our self-respect as a nation,” he said.