manneskja

Manneskja is an Icelandic noun meaning a human being or a person. It is generally used as a gender-neutral term to refer to a person or to humanity as a concept, rather than to a specific individual. In modern Icelandic, the word is more common in formal, literary, or philosophical contexts and is less typical in everyday speech, where persóna or einstaklingur are often preferred.

Etymology and form: The term derives from Old Norse and is built from a root related to “man” with a suffix that forms a noun for a living being. The sense is to denote a human being rather than a male person specifically, aligning with discussions of humanity, morality, or personhood.

Usage and nuance: Manneskja frequently appears in historical writing, religious texts, and academic discourse to discuss attributes of humans, dignity, rights, or ethics. In contemporary prose, authors may employ it to underscore humanity or to evoke a formal or timeless register, whereas more everyday language tends to use persóna or einstaklings for “person” or “individual.”

See also: persóna, einstaklingur, human rights discourse in Icelandic literature.