vinamlegast

Vinamlegast is a term that appears in Icelandic, but it is not a standard spelling in contemporary usage. In most contexts, the closely related adverb vinsamlegast is used to mean “please” or “kindly” when making a request, such as in signs or polite sentences.

The form vinamlegast is sometimes discussed as a potential or historical variant of vinsamlegast, or as a hypothetical superlative of the adjective vinamlegur, meaning “friendly.” Because of this ambiguity, vinamlegast is rarely seen as a fixed, productive form in modern Icelandic, and its appearance is more likely to reflect spelling variation or older texts than everyday language.

Etymologically, the root idea behind these forms is the concept of friendliness or courtesy. The word vinamlegur (friendly, courteous) and its related superlative forms belong to a family of adjectives that express social tone, while vinsamlegast and its variants are tied to polite imperatives in requests. In current standard Icelandic, the most common way to request something politely remains the adverb vinsamlegast.

Usage notes: readers should rely on vinsamlegast for polite requests, as vinamlegast is uncommon and can be viewed as a nonstandard or historical variant. When expressing a superlative sense of friendliness in modern prose, writers typically use more transparent constructions such as mest vinamlegur (the most friendly) or other descriptive phrasing rather than a single-word form.

In summary, vinamlegast is not a core, modern Icelandic word. Its recognition rests mainly on its potential relationship to vinsamlegast (please/kindly) and as a rarely attested or historical form related to the adjective vinamlegur.