Archive for 'Uncategorized'
How To Properly Use Articles: A Crash Course Posted by Meg on May 15, 2018
I was recently reviewing some old class materials, and realized that I needed a refresher course in the proper use of articles. And what better way to learn than by teaching others? So today let’s look at definite and indefinite articles. A few notes before we begin: a definite noun designates a specified entity. In…
Good, Better, Best: Comparing Things In Icelandic (Stigbreyting) Posted by Meg on Dec 27, 2017
![](https://blogs.transparent.com/icelandic/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2017/12/Cascada_Dynjandi_Vestfirðir_Islandia_2014-08-14_DD_154-156_HDR-350x233.jpg)
Let’s kiss the trials and tribulations of 2017 goodbye by returning to grammar – specifically, adjectives, which are called lýsingarorð. The Icelandic term is somewhat more apparent than the English one; it contains the word for to describe, or perhaps even illuminate, within it (að lýsa), so it’s easy to remember. Today, specifically, I want…
Passive Part III: Strong and Weak Past Participles Posted by Meg on Jul 31, 2017
![](https://blogs.transparent.com/icelandic/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2017/07/Víxl-350x120.png)
Welcome to part III of our passive voice lesson. Today, we’ll take a look at constructing the past participle and using –st verbs to convey passive voice. It’ll all lead into a future lesson on lýsingarháttur þátíðar, where we’ll go into even more detail (horray!) on the various uses of past participles. Unfortunately, I underestimated…
Making Up Words: Let’s Talk Compounds Posted by Meg on May 15, 2017
![](https://blogs.transparent.com/icelandic/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2017/05/hundur-350x155.png)
In my experience, Icelandic has no especial proclivity for succinctity, but it does have some words and phrases that are executed so elegantly that they work like swift brush strokes in a sentence. And compound words are in many cases the key to this eloquence through brevity. Plus, you can use the to your advantage…
A Gray and Hairy Handful of Stories About Drangey, While on Haitus in the North Of Iceland Posted by Meg on Feb 20, 2017
![](https://blogs.transparent.com/icelandic/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2017/02/16649509_10154150849791050_2739102851914621497_n-197x350.jpg)
Yesterday, I headed up to Sauðárkrókur, the biggest small-town in all of Iceland, with a population of around 2,000. I came here because I’ve found that I’m at my best after a respite from work – or, rather, I find that I work best when I am away from home to work. The quiet up…
Escaping the Mid-Winter Doldrums with the Winter Lights Festival Posted by Meg on Feb 8, 2017
![](https://blogs.transparent.com/icelandic/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2017/02/hallgrimskirkja-263x350.jpg)
So, here in Reykjavik, we just blew through the Winter Lights Festival (simply, Winter Festival vetrarhátið). Unfortunately, I was a bit under the weather and wasn’t able to make it to many events, and, apart from large-scale displays in the city itself and a tour of the arboretum/botanical gardens, I don’t have much to share…
New Year, New Blogger, and Some Icelandic Poetry Posted by Meg on Jan 10, 2017
![](https://blogs.transparent.com/icelandic/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2017/01/for-SVC-254x350.png)
Hi everyone! I’m Meg, and I’ll be taking over the Transparent Icelandic blog in the new year (by the way, [síðbúið] gleðilegt ár!). And I decided I’d start this new blog with an introduction – a little about who I am and how I ended up in love with Icelandic. I’m currently on Fulbright in…