Transliterating Icelandic Using the English Alphabet

Writing Icelandic using only the letters from the English alphabet can be challenging, given the unique characters and sounds in the Icelandic language. However, a system of transliteration can help approximate Icelandic sounds with English letters. This guide provides some guidelines and examples to help you communicate basic ideas using Icelandic transliteration.

Common Icelandic Sounds and Their English Equivalents

To write Icelandic words using the English alphabet, you can use a system of transliteration. Here are the mappings for common Icelandic sounds and their English equivalents:

á (á) - A D (D e) - D é (é) - E í (í) - I ó (ó) - O ú (ú) - U Y (Y) - Y T (T t) - TH

Examples of Transliteration

Here are some examples of transliterating Icelandic words into English:

Iceland - Tjóe nation Góean dag - Good day Sjáumst - See you

Tips for Writing

Be Consistent: Choose one method for each unique sound and stick with it to avoid confusion.

Use Context: Sometimes context can help clarify meanings, even if the spelling is not exact. People familiar with Icelandic can use context clues to understand the intended meaning.

Practice: Familiarize yourself with common Icelandic words and how they might be transliterated to improve your understanding and accuracy.

A Personal Example

For instance, my name, which contains many Icelandic letters, is written as Ingibjorg N. Frid or Fridthjofsdottir in English, rather than Frio like many might prefer. Here’s the breakdown:

á-á (á) - A D-e (D e) - D é-é (é) - E í-í (í) - I ó-ó (ó) - O ú-ú (ú) - U Y-y (Y) - Y T-t (T t) - TH

Consistency Across Transliteration

Some users recommend using consistent transliteration for easier readability. For instance:

Borgartúni - Borgartuni Lgreglan - Logreglan Hfueborgarsveinu - Hofudborgarsveinu

Christian suggested using 'th' for 't' and 'dh' for 't' with an acute accent, similar to how Icelandic is rendered in some texts. However, this can look unusual to native speakers of North Germanic languages, as the rules differ from English:

Thing - th (North Germanic) vs. ting (English)

Some Icelandic words, like t (th) and e (e), might have had entirely different spellings in the Middle Ages. For example:

/θ/ (th) and /e/ (e) were written as th and dh in both Swedish and Norwegian. Icelandic may have had similar rules, with these sounds either dropping out or becoming /t/ and /d/.

Conclusion

While this approach won’t capture all the nuances of the Icelandic language, it can help you communicate basic ideas and be understood when writing in English. Consistency, context clues, and practice are key to mastering the art of Icelandic transliteration.