Fjölskylda
the Icelandic word for family actually means "multi-duty"
2023-07-23 10:25 // updated 2025-05-26 14:53
In Icelandic, the word for "family" translates to fjölskylda which, in turn, translates back to
- "multi-" (fjöl)
- "duty" (skylda)
The "multi-duty" allusion possibly refers to the obligations that come with existing in a family:
- this curious term replaced an older word for "family": hyski
- even more curiously, hyski, now means "low-life"
Semantic drift refers to this phenomenon where words change drastically in meaning!
- Fjölskylda on Wiktionary
- Hyski on Wiktionary