Ómannlegt

Ómannlegt is an Icelandic adjective that describes conduct, policies, or phenomena as lacking humanity, compassion, or civility. It is commonly used to express moral judgment, signaling that something is cruel or callous rather than merely ineffective or irrational. In English, it is often translated as inhumane or cruel.

Etymology and forms: The word is formed with the negating prefix ó- attached to mannlegt, which relates to humanity or humaneness. The base adjective mannlegt refers to humaneness or humane qualities. Ómannlegt has the neuter singular form ómannlegt, while the masculine and feminine forms are ómannlegur and ómannleg, respectively. The term is most frequently encountered in written Icelandic, including journalism, essays, and public debate.

Usage: Ómannlegt emphasizes ethical evaluation and is typically used to condemn behavior or systems that disregard basic human dignity. It can describe actions, institutional practices, or social conditions perceived as cruel or dehumanizing. The word tends to appear in formal or opinionated discourse, though it can also appear in editorial writing and discussions of social policy.

Examples:

- Það er ómannlegt að láta fólk bíða í such long queues without relief. (It is inhumane to make people wait so long.)

- Að yfirgefa þá í neyð er ómannlegt. (To abandon them in distress is inhumane.)

See also: Mannlegt (humane, human), Inhuman, Cruelty in public discourse.

Notes: Ómannlegt is distinct from simply “unreasonable” in Icelandic; its core sense centers on humanity and moral considerateness.