Orðgerð

Orðgerð is the study of how words are formed and changed in a language. In Icelandic linguistics, it refers to the processes by which new words enter the language and existing words take different forms. It is a core part of morphology, helping to explain how vocabulary develops and how grammatical information is encoded in word structure.

The field covers several broad processes. Samsetning, or compounding, builds new words by joining two or more roots. A common Icelandic example is ljósmynd, formed from ljós (light) and mynd (image), meaning photograph. Another example is bæjarstjórn, from bæjar (the town in genitive form) and stjórn (governance), meaning city council. Afleiðing, or derivation, creates new words by adding prefixes or suffixes to a base, often changing the word class. An example is nota (to use) yielding notkun (use) through a derivational suffix. Beyging, or inflection, alters a word’s form to reflect grammatical features such as number, case, or definiteness. For instance, bok (book) becomes bók in the indefinite singular, bókin in the definite singular, and bækur in the plural, with bækurnar for the definite plural.

Orðgerð interacts with dictionaries, language teaching, and grammar by describing how words are built and how their forms signal meaning. Dialectal variation and historical change influence which word-formation patterns are common in different contexts. Overall, orðgerð provides a framework for understanding the construction and flexibility of the Icelandic lexicon.