The Vikings primarily communicated in Old Norse, a Germanic language characterized by a unique grammar structure, vocabulary, and sounds. Old Norse was widely spoken across Scandinavia and areas where Vikings settled or traded, from the British Isles to parts of Eastern Europe. With a phonetic structure, Old Norse was written using the runic Futhark alphabet, though later influences saw the adoption of Latin script. Viking speech often involved guttural sounds and was known for being direct, with a poetic rhythm that lent itself to storytelling and sagas. Dialects existed between different Norse territories, but a common language and writing system helped Vikings maintain connections across their wide-reaching network. As the Norse influence spread, Old Norse also contributed to the English language, especially in words related to law, trade, and navigation. Today, Icelandic closely resembles Old Norse, preserving much of the Viking linguistic heritage.