vangefinn

Icelandic

Etymology

From van- (“too little, short of, lacking in”) +‎ gefinn (“given, gifted”). Compare vel gefinn (“intelligent”, literally “well given”), illa gefinn (“unintelligent”, literally “badly given”), and English gifted.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈvaiɲˌcɛvɪnː/

Adjective

vangefinn (not comparable)

  1. (dated) mentally disabled, mentally retarded, mentally handicapped
    Synonyms: þroskaskertur, þroskaheftur
  2. (informal, offensive) retarded, imbecilic, idiotic
    Synonyms: hálfviti, asni
    Hvað er að þér, ertu eitthvað vangefinn?! ― What is the matter with you, you imbecile!

Usage notes

Was used between approximately 1930 and the early 2000s as a polite term to refer to the mentally disabled. By the 2000s it had become a common insult among children and teenagers, after which it fell out of favor. It was taken over by þroskaheftur, which itself fell out of favor for þroskaskertur in the 2010s.

Declension

Positive forms of vangefinn
strong declension
(indefinite) 		singular masculine feminine neuter
nominative vangefinn vangefin vangefið
accusative vangefinn vangefna
dative vangefnum vangefinni vangefnu
genitive vangefins vangefinnar vangefins
plural masculine feminine neuter
nominative vangefnir vangefnar vangefin
accusative vangefna
dative vangefnum
genitive vangefinna
weak declension
(definite) 		singular masculine feminine neuter
nominative vangefni vangefna vangefna
acc/dat/gen vangefna vangefnu
plural (all-case) vangefnu

Derived terms

  • vangefni (“mental retardation”)

See also

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