Icelandic language - Useful lexique

Icelandic is a language that did not evolve very much since the Middle Ages. It is still very similar to the Old Norse spoken by the Vikings originally which became the Norwegian language and modern Danish on the continent. Its pronunciation and spelling have changed over the centuries but not its grammatical structure and Icelanders today can easily read sagas from the 13th and 14th centuries.

The language is highly inflected and the grammar and the pronunciation quite complicated for foreigners. Written Icelandic has four letters not found in the English alphabet. The consonants Ð, ð (pronounced like English th in that), Æ, æ (pronounced like English i in life), Þ, þ (pronounced like English th in that) and Ö, ö (pronounced like English o in work or French eu like in fleur). Other vowels are lengthened or diphthongized by the addition of an acute accent over them.

However, it is quite easy and useful to learn a few words to read a map. Very often the meaning of places is descriptive such as Reykjavik (smoky bay), Husavik (bay of houses), Hveragerdi (warm gardens), Eldgja (fire fault), Eldfell (Fire mountain), Jokulsá (glacial river).

The list below should help to decipher places' names when travelling.

alda = hilly ridge (plural: öldur)
á = river (like (Laxá, Hvitá, Jokulsá, Krossá, Thjorsá ...)
ás = small ridge, hill
bær = farm, township (Glaumbaer, Kirkjubaejarklaustur ...)
bakki =river bank
bjarg = cliff, rock
borg = city, crag
botn = bottom, head of the valley or fjord
brekka = slope
brú = brige
bunga = rounded peak
dalur = valley (Thjorsardalur, Húsadalur, Vatnsdalur ...)
djúp = long inlet; deep
drag = watercourse (plural: drög)
drangur = isolated column of rock
dyngja = dome
eiði = isthmus
ey = island (plural: eyjar)
eyri = sandspit, delta
fell = mountain; hill
fjall = mountain (plural: fjöll)
fjörður = fjord, broad inlet, valley (plural: firðir) - (Skagafjordur, Breidafjordur ...)
fljót = large river (Markarfljót, Skjalfandafljót ...)
foss = waterfall (Gullfoss, Dettifoss, Hengifoss, Godafoss, Skogafoss ...)

gata = avenue
gígur = crater
gil = gorge, ravine
gjá = chasm, fissure (Eldgjá, Almannagjá, Grjótagjá ...)
grunn = shoal, shallow
háls = ridge, isthmus
hamar = crag
heiði = heath, moor
hlíð = mountain side
hnjúkur/ hnúkur = peak
höfði = promontory
höfn = harbour
hóll = rounded hill (plural hólar)
hólmur = islet
holt = stony hill
hraun = lava field/lava (Namshraun, Laugahraun, Odadahraun ...)
hryggur = ridge
hver = hot spring (Hverfjall, Hverarond, Hveragerdi ...)
hvoll = hill
jökull = glacier (Vatnajokull, Breidamerkurjökull, Langjökull ...)
jökulsá = glacial river
kirkja = church (Hallgrimskirkja, Kirkjubaejarklaustur, Kirkjugolf ...)
klettur = rock, cliff
kot = small farm
kvísl =river; branch of river
lækur = brook
laug = warm spring (Laugarvegur, Landmannalaugar ...)
lón =lagoon (Jokulsarlon, Breidarlon, Fjallsarlon ...)
melur = gravel; barren plain
múli = headland, spur
mynni = mouth
myri = swamp
nes = headland, ness
núpur = spur, peak
oddi = point, tongue of land
öræfi = desert
ós = estuary
reykur = smoke, steam
rif = reef
sandur = sand(s) (Sprengisandur, Skeidararsandur ...)
skagi = peninsula
skali = refuge (Sigurdarskali ...)
skarð = mountain pass
sker = skerry
skógur = wood, shrubland
slétta = plain
staður = place; parsonage (plural staðir)
stapi = bluff, crag
stadur or stadir = inhabited places (Nupsstadur, Egilsstadir, Skutustadir ...)
súlur = (mountain) peaks

straeti = street
tangi = narrow peninsula
tindur = summit
tjörn = small lake; pond
tunga = tongue (of land)
vað = ford (plural vöð)
varða = cairn (plural vörður)
vatn = lake; water (plural vötn) - like Thingvallavatn, Myvatn, Veidivötn, Grimsvötn ...
vegur = road; track (Laugarvegur ...)
ver = grassy spot
vik = inlet, small bay (Reykjavik, Husavik, Grindavik ...)
vogur = inlet; creek
völlur = plain, field (plural vellir) - (Hvolsvöllur...)

Sources:

The Visitor's key to Iceland, Steindor Steindorsson

France Demarbaix, www.photovoyage.org/islande/langue-islandais.php