upphaflega

Upphaflega is an Icelandic adverb meaning originally or initially. It is used to indicate the original state, plan, or version of something, before changes or developments. The word is formed from upphaf, meaning beginning, with the adverbial suffix -lega, creating an adverb that points to the original context of a statement or situation.

In use, upphaflega commonly appears when describing how things were planned or how a situation existed before later changes. It can introduce an initial intention, earlier version, or prior arrangement, often signaling that circumstances have since changed. The term is appropriate in both formal and written Icelandic, as well as in journalism and historical narration.

Examples:

Upphaflega var áætlað að halda fundinn í dag.

Upphaflega ætluðum við að hefja verkefnið í byrjun maí, en frestunin breyttist.

Upphaflega stóð til að gera ráð fyrir sérstökum aðgerðum, en eftir atburðinum var leitast við að breyta þeirri nálgun.

Notes:

Upphaflega is closely tied to upphaf (beginning) and the related adjective upphaflegur, both conveying a sense of origin or initial state. The English equivalents are originally or initially, depending on the context.