§ 1.

The Faroese Language Committee is the institute for the development and preservation of the Faroese language.

§ 2.

The Faroese Language Committee shall provide public institutions and the general public with advice and information on questions concerning the Faroese language. The major functions of the Language Committee are as follows:

  1. To collect and record new Faroese words and to help to select and create new words. The Committee shall also be observant to detect any incorrect usage that may appear and to attempt to prevent it from becoming the norm.
  2. To co-operate with the language committees of associations and institutions and support them as much as possible in their work.
  3. To answer language questions from institutions and individuals and to place particular emphasis on co-operating fully with the institutions and media that have a significant linguistic influence, such as the government administration, schools, newspapers, radio and television. To answer questions concerning personal names, place-names and other names. Questions and answers will be kept in the Committee's files.
  4. To work together with other language committees and corresponding institutions in other Nordic countries and send representatives to their joint annual meetings.

The Committee shall appoint one member and an alternate to the board of the Nordic Language Council to represent the Faroese language.

Moreover, the Faroese Government may assign other tasks to the Committee in connection with Faroese language development such as questions on spelling, advice on legal language, textbooks, technical manuals, etc.

§ 3.

The Committee shall be comprised of five members, whom the Government shall appoint according to recommendations from the National Education Department, the Institute of Faroese Language and Literature of the University of the Faroes, the Faroese Language Teachers Association, the Faroese Society of Authors and the Faroese Media Union.

The term of the Committee shall be four years. It shall elect its own chairperson. The members of the Committee are required to have an education in linguistics or they must in some way have demonstrated their knowledge and skill in working with the Faroese language. The Institute of Faroese Language and Literature of the University of the Faroes shall provide the Committee with linguistic guidance as required and shall make its language collections available to the Committee.

At its meetings, the Committee shall consult on questions of language and assess the advice provided between its meetings. The Committee shall meet at least once a month, or as required.

At the end of each year, the Committee shall publish a report of its work. This report shall include, amongst other things, notice of any significant linguistic advice and recommendations issued by the Committee during the year.

Day-to-day operations shall be conducted under the supervision of the chairperson by a staff employed by the Committee, according to the authorised wage agreement.

The Committee's office, Málstovan, shall be housed within the premises of the University of the Faroes.

§ 4.

The Government shall bear the expenses of Málstovan and shall pay the Committee members an honorarium, according to current regulations. A special appropriation for the Faroese Language Committee shall be in the Budget.

§ 5.

This regulation shall take effect on 1 April 1985.

Tórshavn, the seventh day of January 1985.

Tórbjřrn Poulsen
(Signature)
Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs

Johan Djurhuus (Signature)

UPP