Lærdóm

Lærdóm is an Icelandic noun meaning lesson, moral, or edification, and more broadly learning or education. The primary sense refers to a practical or moral instruction that can be derived from experience, such as the lesson one takes away from an event or mistake. In everyday language it is common to say that someone “draga lærdóm af mistökum sínum” (they learn a lesson from their mistakes). The word can also denote knowledge gained through study and schooling, i.e., learning in an academic or intellectual sense.

Etymology and form: Lærdómur is derived from Old Norse lærdómr, formed from the verb læra meaning “to learn” and dómr meaning “judgment” or “outcome.” In modern Icelandic, lærdómur/ lærdóm is the standard term for both the moral or instructive content of a situation and the broader idea of learning or education.

Usage and nuance: Lærdóm emphasizes the value or takeaway from an experience rather than merely factual knowledge. It is frequently used in literary, religious, educational, and philosophical contexts to express edification or instruction. The word can appear in phrases that specify the type of learning, such as personal, moral, or professional lærdóm, and is often contrasted with mere information or facts.

See also: Education, learning, moral, edification, instruction, doctrine.