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Funny Literal Translations Of Icelandic Words
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Icelandic is supposed to be one of the hardest languages in the world. I deconstruct Icelandic compound words and illustrate them.
Many of these words are very literal, yet somehow poetic at the same time. Other times they can be rather random and a little humorous!
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Penguin (Mörgæs) = Fat + Goose
Mör (fat) + Gæs (goose) = Mörgæs (Penguin)
Zoo (Dýragarður) = Animal + Garden
Dýr (animal) + Garður (garden) = Dýragarður (zoo)
Raccoon (Þvottabjörn) = Washing + Bear
Þvottur (washing) + Björn (bear) = Þvottabjörn (raccoon)
Echo (Bergmal) = Rock + Language
Berg (rock) + Mál (language) = Bergmal (echo)
Planet (Reikistjarna) = To Wander + Star
Að reika (to wander) + stjarna (star) = Reikistjarna (planet)
Wedding (Brúðkaup) = Bride + To Buy
Brúður (bride) + Að Kaupa (to buy) = Brúðkaup (wedding)
Hippopotamus (Flóðhestur) = Flood + Horse
Flóð (flood) + Hestur (horse) = Flóðhestur (hippopotamus)
From Wikipedia: The Latin word "hippopotamus" is derived from the ancient Greek ἱπποπόταμος, hippopótamos, from ἵππος, híppos, "horse", and ποταμός, potamós, "river", meaning "horse of the river".
Rainbow (Regnbogi) = Rain + Arch
Regn (rain) + Bogi (arch) = Regnbogi (rainbow)
Arm (Handleggur) = Hand + Leg
Hand (hand) + Leggur (Leg) = Handleggur (arm)
Placenta (Legkaka) = Womb + Cake
Leg (womb) + Kaka (cake) = Legkaka (placenta)
Quotation Marks (Gæsalappir) = Goose + Feet
Gæs (goose) + Lappir (feet) = Gæsalappir (quotation marks)
Nice Weather To Look At Through The Window (Gluggaveður) = Window + Weather
Gluggi (window) + Veður (weather) = Gluggaveður is weather that's nice to look through a window, but not so nice to be in. Like when it looks lovely and sunny but then you go outside and it's actually blistering cold!
Nice weather to look at through the window? Window weather actually means that the weather looks nice through a window and only through a window (as it might for example be bone chillingly cold outside, but sunny)
Match (Eldspýta) = Fire + Piece Of Wood
Eldur (fire) + Spýta (piece of wood) = Eldspýta (match)
Bra (Brjóstahöld) = Breast + To Hold
Brjóst (breast) + Að halda (to hold) = Brjóstahöld (bra)
I don't think anybody uses the word Brjóstahöld, we use Brjóstahaldari but the meaning is basically the same
Inspiration (Innblástur) = Inn + Breeze
Inn (inside/into) + Blástur (breeze) = Innblástur (inspiration)
Skeleton (Beinagrind) = Bone + Frame/structure
Bein (bone) + Grind (frame/structure) = Beinagrind (skeleton)
Turtle (skjaldbaka) = Shield + Back
Skjöldur (shield) + Bak (back) = Skjaldbaka (turtle)
Idea (Hugmynd) = Mind + Picture
Hugur (mind) + mind (picture) = Hugmynd (idea)
Cello (Knéfiðla) = Knee + Violin
Kné (knee) + Fiðla (violin) = Knéfiðla (cello)
In Love (Ástfanginn) = Love + Captured
Ást (love) + Fanginn (captured) = Ástfanginn (in love)
Aquarium (Fiskabúr) = Fish + Cage
Fiskur (fish) + Búr (cage) = Fiskabúr (aquarium)
Same as in german - what else is it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxIi9bob3X4
Volcano (Eldfjall) = Fire + Mountain
Eldur (fire) + Fjall (mountain) = Eldfjall (volcano)
Earring (Eyrnalokkur) = Ear + Curl
Eyra (ear) + Lokkur (lock of hair/curl) = Eyrnalokkur (earring)
Avalanche (Snjóflóð) = Snow + Flood
Snjór (snow) + Flóð (flood) = Snjóflóð (avalanche)
Lightbulb (Ljósapera) = Light + Pear
Ljós (light) + Pera (pear) = Ljósapera (lightbulb)
Computer (Tölva) = Number + Prophetess
Actually a portmanteau/blend word of the Icelandic words for number/s (tala/tölur) and prophetess (völva), not a compound word like the rest
Honey Bee (Hunangsfluga) = Honey + Fly
Hunang (honey) + Fluga (fly) = Hunangsfluga (honey bee)
Customer (Viðskiptavinur) = Business + Friend
Viðskipti (business) + Vinur (friend) = Viðskiptavinur (customer)
Chickpeas (Kjúklingabaunir) = Chicken + Beans
Kjúklingur (chicken) + Baunir (beans) = Kjúklingabaunir (chickpeas)
Music (Tónlist) = Tone + Art
Tón (tone) + List (art) = Tónlist (music)
Cauliflower (Blómkál) = Flower + Cabbage
Blóm (flower) + Kál (cabbage) = Blómkál (cauliflower)
Handshake (Handaband) = Hand + String/yarn
Hönd (hand) + Band (string/yarn) = Handaband (handshake)
Computer (Tölva) = Number + Prophetess
Tala (number) + Völva (prophetess) = Tölva (computer)
Constellation (Stjörnumerki) = Star + Sign
Stjarna (star) + Merki (sign) = Stjörnumerki (constellation)
Saliva (Munnvatn) = Mouth + Water
Munnur (mouth) + Vatn (water) = Munnvatn (saliva)
Midwife (Ljósmóðir) = Light + Mother
Ljós (light) + Móðir (mother) = Ljósmóðir (midwife)
Scallop (Hörpuskel) = Harp + Shell
Harpa (harp) + Skel (shell) = Hörpuskel (scallop)
Rocket (Eldflaug) = Fire + To Fly
Eldur (fire) + Að fljúga (to fly) = Eldflaug (rocket)
Donut (Kleinuhringur) = Icelandic Fried Pastry + Circle
Kleina (Icelandic fried pastry) + Hringur (circle) = Kleinuhringur (donut)
Cookie (Smákaka) = Small + Cake
Smár (small) + Kaka (cake) = Smákaka (cookie)
Cell Phone (Farsími) = To Go + Telephone
Að fara (to go) + Sími (telephone) = Farsími (cell phone)
Grape (Vínber) = Wine + Berry
Vín (wine) + Ber (berry) = Vínber (grape)
Graffiti (Veggjakrot) = Wall + Scribble
Veggur (wall) + Krot (scribble) = Veggjakrot (graffiti)
Internet (Veraldarvefurinn) = World + Web
Veröld (world) + Vefur (web) = Veraldarvefurinn (Internet)
Dinner (Kvöldmat) = Evening + Food
Kvöld (evening) + Matur (food) = Kvöldmat (dinner)
Furniture (Húsgögn) = House + Data
Hús (house) + Gögn (data) = Húsgögn (furniture)
gögn is not meaning data there.. it´s a much older than that and comes from the word gagn (singular : Husgagn) and derives from something being "of use" So something that is of use within the house would be the translation here.
Breakfast Cereal (Morgunkorn) = Morning + Grain
Morgun (morning) + Korn (grain) = Morgunkorn (breakfast cereal)
Pirate (Sjóræningi) = Sea + Robber
Sjór (sea) + Ræningi (robber) = Sjóræningi (pirate)
Journalist (Blaðamaður) = Page/newspaper + Man
Blað (page/newspaper) + Maður (man) = Blaðamaður (journalist)
Reflection (Spegilmynd) = Mirror + Picture
Spegill (mirror) + Mynd (picture) = Spegilmynd (reflection)
Necropants (Nábrók) = Corpse + Pants
Nár (corpse) + Brók (pants) = Nábrók (necropants)
Omelet (Eggjakaka) = Egg + Cake
Egg (egg) + Kaka (cake) = Eggjakaka (omelet)
Airplane (Flugvél) = Flight + Machine
Flug (flight) + Vél (machine) = Flugvél (airplane)
Eggplant (Eggaldin) = Egg + Fruit
Egg (egg) + Aldin (fruit) = Eggaldin (eggplant)
Menu (Matseðill) = Food + Note/leaflet
Matur (food) + Seðill (note/leaflet) = Matseðill (menu)
Cafe (Kaffihús) = Coffee + House
Kaffi (coffee) + Hús (house) = Kaffihús (cafe)
Skateboard (Hjólabretti) = To Cycle + Board
Að hjóla (to cycle) + Bretti (board) = Hjólabretti (skateboard)
To cycle? Was this done on google translate? Hjól means wheel, this is a wheel board. "að hjóla" is the term to cycle, but would never be used as a noun. As Reiðhjól refers to Riding wheel (bycicle)
Panorama Or Openmindedness (Víðsýni) = Wide + View
Við (wide) + Sýn (view) = Víðsýni can mean panorama or openmindedness
Refrigerator (Ísskápur) = Ice + Closet
Ís (ice) + Skápur (closet) = Ísskápur (refrigerator)
Pancake (Pönnukaka) = Pan + Cake
Panna (pan) + Kaka (cake) = Pönnukaka (pancake)
Toothpaste (Tannkrem) = Tooth + Cream
Tönn (tooth) + Krem (cream) = Tannkrem (toothpaste)
4,7,8,15,20,21,42,43,44,48,51,57, 58,59 is the same in hungarian
This is my new favourite thing on the internet!!! ^^
Gaman að þessu.... Þessi eru einnig skemmtileg ef beinþýdd... - augnablik, upptakari, skrifborð/skrifborðsstóll, umslag, kolkrabbi, ljósapera, sjáaldur....
4,7,8,15,20,21,42,43,44,48,51,57, 58,59 is the same in hungarian
This is my new favourite thing on the internet!!! ^^
Gaman að þessu.... Þessi eru einnig skemmtileg ef beinþýdd... - augnablik, upptakari, skrifborð/skrifborðsstóll, umslag, kolkrabbi, ljósapera, sjáaldur....