Word Of The Issue: Grýlukerti

The Grapevine’s guide to sounding Icelandic, one word at a time

It’s been a fickle few weeks, weather-wise. Is it spring? Is it still winter? This often-changing weather keeps us on our toes (or desperately checking vedur.is and cursing when reality does not match what was forecasted). Maybe we haven’t seen the topic of today’s Word Of The Issue in a while, but as winter (maybe, potentially, honestly who knows but I’ll say this anyway) draws to a close, let’s discuss grýlukerti.

As always, we’re going to break down this beauty of a compound word. If you’re one to diligently read signs next to giant metal cats with piercing, nightmare-inducing red eyes, then maybe you’re already familiar with Icelandic Christmas folklore — and so you’re already familiar with Grýla.

Grýla (Grýlu when declined) is the mother of those Yule Lads who are projected on the side of Ráðhúsið, MR, and 11 other buildings I’m not bothering to name. She’s famously terrifying, living in a cave and devouring naughty children at Christmastime. That’s our Grýla, first half of the word, menacing mother of 13 and dedicated cat lady!

Onto the second half of the word: kerti. Kerti means candle. So…what are Grylá’s candles? Any guesses?

A grýlukerti is an icicle!

Now, there are a couple of theories as to why Grýla’s candles are icicles — which were heavily debated in the “Skemmtilegt íslensk orð” Facebook group. If you’re trying to increase your vocabulary with fun (usually seldom used) Icelandic words, that’s the place. But anyway, the confirmed origin (I trust those clever linguists over at Háskóli Íslands) is that stalactites (you know, limestone deposits that grow down from the roof of the cave, not stalagmites which grow up from the floor) are also often called grýlukerti, and because they grow in caves they were first named grýlukerti. Then, the resemblance of stalactites to icicles led to them both being called by the same thing.

So, next time you see icicles lining the roofs of Reykjavík, make sure to point them out as Grýla candles. I wouldn’t recommend trying to light them, though. They might just disappear!

Learn more Icelandic words hér.