Styttist

Styttist is an Icelandic verb form meaning “to become shorter” or “to be shortened.” It is the present-tense, third-person singular form of the intransitive verb styttast, which describes a reduction in length, duration, or extent. The root is related to the adjective stuttur (short) and to the noun stytting (shortening).

Usage and meaning: Styttist is commonly used to describe time or events that are being shortened. A well-known example is tíminn styttist, which translates to “time is running short.” The expression is typically neutral and frequently appears in everyday speech as well as journalism and scheduling contexts, when a deadline, duration, or plan is shorter than previously expected.

Morphology and nuance: The form emphasizes a result or ongoing process of shortening rather than an active, intentional action by a subject. It is part of a broader group of Icelandic expressions that convey changes in length or extent, rather than speed or efficiency.

Etymology: The verb derives from the Nordic root associated with shortening, linked to stuttur (“short”) and the noun stytting (“shortening”). The spelling reflects Icelandic phonology, including the use of the vowel combination "yy" in related forms.

See also: Icelandic verbs, stuttur, stytting, time expressions in Icelandic.