spurningur

Spurningur is an Icelandic noun meaning a question or inquiry. In modern Icelandic, the standard term for a question is spurning, with the plural spurningar. The form spurningur is less common in contemporary usage and is usually described as archaic or dialectal; it may occur in older literature or in some regional varieties. The word covers a range of senses: an interrogative utterance, a matter to be asked about, or a topic raised for discussion.

Usage notes: Spurningur can appear in formal or literary contexts where a traditional tone is desired, but in everyday speech spurning is preferred. The common phrase góð spurning is used to acknowledge a good question. The term can appear in various compounds and in philosophical or academic writing to discuss questions about knowledge, truth, or justification.

Etymology: Spurningur belongs to a family of Germanic words for “question.” It has cognates in other Scandinavian languages, such as Norwegian spørsmål and Danish spørgsmål, reflecting a shared Old Norse root, spurningr.

See also: spurning, spurningar.