It has been five years since I first learned those golden words: “Ég heiti Jonas og ég tala bara pinkulitla íslensku.” My name is Jonas and I only speak a little Icelandic.

During this time I’ve put my hours into learning the crazy declensions, the seemingly unpronounceable spellings (would you believe that “Vadlaheidavegavinnuverkfaerageymsluskúr” is a word? It means the tool shed for workers manning the road over Vadlaheidi pass), and most of all the off-the-wall idioms these people come up with.

Most idioms in English have some sense behind them. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch and a stitch in time saves nine are fairly transparent. At least it doesn’t take a linguist to unravel them.

But as luck would have it, I happen to be shacked up with an Icelandic linguist and am able to get the skinny on Icelandic idioms straight from the horse’s mouth. (Okay, I’ll lay off the English idioms now. I think I’ve made my point.)

So without further ado, here are the picks of the linguistic litter…

1) Rúsínan í pylsuendanum
Literally, the raison at the end of the wiener (like a hotdog wiener). It means the cherry on top of the sundae, which is FAR more delectable than raisins in sausages. But who am I to critique the nation’s palate?

Usage: When he did an encore of “Against All Odds”, well that was simply the raisin at the end of the wiener!

2) Nú duga engin vettlingatök!
Literally, mitten-grabbing will simply not do! This is said when you need to do something right. You can’t be sloppy. No cutting corners.

Usage: Don’t use margarine when the recipe calls for butter. This is a birthday cake we’re talking about. Mitten-grabbing will simply not do!

3) Thakka thér fyrir hlý ord í minn gard.
Literally, thank you for the warm words in my garden. This is used to formally show your appreciation for a compliment.

Usage: Mr. Moody, your books have changed my life. – Well, thank you for the warm words in my garden.

4) Gefa undir fótinn
Literally, to give under the foot. This is a good one. It makes absolutely no sense, but it sounds nice. It simply means to flirt with someone or sometimes to coax someone into something.

Usage: He might have been a little tipsy, but I think he was giving you under the foot, my friend.

5) Standa á öndinni
Literally, standing on the duck. This means to be utterly shocked or surprised. Actually, the word “önd” can mean duck or breath, but you can imagine the humor this odd little homonym gives rise to.

Usage: When he took off his top to reveal a third nipple, she stood on the duck.

6) Áfram med smjörid!

Literally, on with the butter! This might be my favorite of all, so I saved it for last—the raisin at the end of the wiener, so to speak.  It means to plow forward with something, a great slogan for a hard-working nation.

Usage: I know that no one wants to be working until 8 o’clock, but the sooner we get this job done, the better. Now on with the butter!

I hope you take away from this a little bit of the oddity I face on a daily basis, although this is just a peek into the strange linguistic landscape of the Icelandic mind. For the full effect, you’ll have to sign up for Icelandic classes. Or shack up with an Icelandic linguist. I recommend both very highly.

JM - jonas@icelandreview.com