Réttlætt

Réttlætt is an Icelandic adjective meaning justified or legitimate, used to describe statements, actions, or decisions that have a solid basis in evidence, reasons, or normative standards. The word is derived from the verb réttlæta, “to justify,” and forms part of the standard set of participial adjectives in Icelandic.

In usage, réttlætt signals that a claim or measure is warranted within a given framework, such as law, policy, ethics, or rhetoric. It is employed in both formal and informal discourse to indicate that the underlying reasons meet accepted criteria for justification. Like other Icelandic adjectives, it is inflected to agree with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case, and it can appear in predicative and attributive positions.

Réttlætt is closely related to related terms such as réttarmeiningar (justification concepts), réttarávöxtun in more specialized legal or philosophical contexts, and the broader concept of réttlæti (justice). The term interacts with discussions of evidence, rationale, and normative standards, and its appropriateness depends on the strength and relevance of the supporting grounds.

In summary, réttlætt functions as a linguistic marker of justification within Icelandic, marking claims or actions as sufficiently supported or legitimate within a given context. It reflects the language’s emphasis on reasoned justification in legal, ethical, and rhetorical evaluation.