Steinn Steinarr is one of Iceland’s most beloved poets, and a new museum has been dedicated in his memory near his birthplace in the Westfjords. Below is a bit of that article from R\u00daV and one of his poems.<\/p>\n
Steinsh\u00fas v\u00edgt \u00e1 Nauteyri \u00ed dag<\/strong><\/a> Steinsh\u00fas<\/a>, safn og s\u00fdning til minningar um Stein Steinarr sk\u00e1ld, var v\u00edgt \u00e1 Nauteyri vi\u00f0 \u00cdsafjar\u00f0ardj\u00fap \u00ed dag. B\u00fai\u00f0 er a\u00f0 gera upp samkomuh\u00fas sem brann \u00fear \u00e1ri\u00f0 2002.<\/strong><\/p>\n Steinhus, a museum and exhibition in memory of poet Steinn Steinarr, was dedicated in Nauteyri in \u00cdsafjar\u00f0ardj\u00fapur today. The renovations have been completed to the assembly hall which burned in 2002.<\/em><\/p>\n The verb v\u00edgja<\/strong> is probably the most interesting word here, not one I’ve encountered a lot. It can be confusing because there are a lot of words that begin with v\u00edg-<\/strong> that have more to do with war and battle than with “blessing” or “consecrating”. Some examples:<\/p>\n but<\/p>\n Steinn Steinarr f\u00e6ddist \u00e1 Laugalandi \u00ed Skjaldfannardal \u00e1ri\u00f0 1908 n\u00e1l\u00e6gt Nauteyri. Hj\u00f3nin \u00de\u00f3rarinn Magn\u00fasson og Sigr\u00ed\u00f0ur Austmann, sem eiga sumarb\u00fasta\u00f0 \u00ed n\u00e1grenninu, \u00e1kv\u00e1\u00f0u fyrir nokkrum \u00e1rum a\u00f0 beita s\u00e9r fyrir endurbyggingu gamla samkomuh\u00fassins.<\/strong><\/p>\n Steinn Steinarr was born in Laugaland in Skjaldfannardalur in 1908, not far from Nauteyri. The couple \u00de\u00f3rarinn Magn\u00fasson and Sigr\u00ed\u00f0ur Austmann, who own a summer house in the area, decided several years ago to take on the task of rebuilding the old assembly hall.<\/em><\/p>\n The verb beita<\/strong> is most often seen with the dative to mean use, employ<\/em>, i.e an implement of some sort. Here beita s\u00e9r fyrir<\/strong> has the meaning of undertake, take upon oneself<\/em>.<\/p>\n ‘Hendur<\/strong>‘ is a short, very beautiful poem which is quite accessible even to beginners in Icelandic:<\/p>\n HENDUR<\/strong><\/p>\n Tv\u00e6r hendur hv\u00edtar og t\u00e6r\u00f0ar<\/em><\/p>\n Og \u00fe\u00fa, sem gr\u00e6tur, Veistu ekki, a\u00f0 dimman og dau\u00f0inn Tv\u00e6r hendur hv\u00edtar og t\u00e6r\u00f0ar, …<\/p>\n HANDS<\/strong><\/p>\n Two hands, white and worn<\/em><\/p>\n And you, who weep Don’t you know the darkness and death Two hands, white and worn There is a wonderful book of Steinn Steinarr’s poetry that was republished last year if you are interested in reading more – Steinn Steinarr – Lj\u00f3\u00f0asafn<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n
\nSteinsh\u00fas dedicated in Nauteyri today<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n
\n \n \n\n
\n a\u00f0 v\u00edgja – to dedicate, consecrate<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n \n <\/th>\n present<\/th>\n past<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u00e9g<\/th>\n v\u00edgi<\/td>\n v\u00edg\u00f0i<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u00fe\u00fa<\/th>\n v\u00edgir<\/td>\n v\u00edg\u00f0ir<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u00fea\u00f0<\/th>\n v\u00edgir<\/td>\n v\u00edg\u00f0i<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n vi\u00f0<\/th>\n v\u00edgjum<\/td>\n v\u00edg\u00f0um<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u00fei\u00f0<\/th>\n v\u00edgi\u00f0<\/td>\n v\u00edg\u00f0u\u00f0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u00feau<\/th>\n v\u00edgja<\/td>\n v\u00edg\u00f0u<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n <\/td>\n \n \n\n
\n minning (f) – remembrance<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n \n <\/th>\n singular<\/th>\n plural<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n \n nom<\/th>\n minning<\/td>\n minningar<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n acc<\/th>\n minningu<\/td>\n minningar<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n dat<\/th>\n minningu<\/td>\n minningum<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n gen<\/th>\n minningar<\/td>\n minninga<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n v\u00edg n slaying, killing\nv\u00edga\u00b7hugur m fighting spirit\nv\u00edga\u00b7legur adj warlike\nv\u00edg\u00b7b\u00fana\u00f0ur m armaments\nv\u00edg\u00b7gir\u00f0ing f fortification\nv\u00edgv\u00f6llur m battlefield\n<\/pre>\n
v\u00edg\u00b7or\u00f0 n slogan (word of honor?)\nv\u00edgsla f opening ceremony, consecration\n<\/pre>\n
v\u00edgja v (acc) to dedicate, consecrate\nsafn n museum\ns\u00fdning f exhibition\nminning f remembrance\nsk\u00e1ld n poet\ngera upp renovate (house)\nsamkomu\u00b7h\u00fas n assembly hall\nsumar\u00b7b\u00fasta\u00f0ur m summer house\nn\u00e1\u00b7grenni n neighborhood, vicinity\n<\/pre>\n
\nhva\u00f0 gr\u00e6tir \u00feig?<\/p>\n
\ner draumur um mig?<\/p>\n
\ntv\u00e6r hendur, sem elska \u00feig.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nWhat brings you to tears?<\/p>\n
\nis a dream of me?<\/p>\n
\ntwo hands that love you.<\/em><\/p>\nt\u00e6ra v corrode, eat away\ngr\u00e1ta v weep, cry\ngr\u00e6ta v bring to tears\ndimma f darkness\ndau\u00f0i m death\n<\/pre>\n