vangefinn

Icelandic

Etymology

From van- (“too little, short of, lacking in”) +‎ gefinn (“given, gifted”). Compare vel gefinn (“intelligent”, literally “well given”), illa gefinn (“unintelligent”, literally “badly given”), and English gifted.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈvaiɲˌcɛvɪnː/

Adjective

vangefinn

1. (dated) mentally disabled, mentally retarded, mentally handicapped

   Synonyms: þroskaskertur, þroskaheftur

2. (informal, offensive) retard, imbecile, idiot, person who has made a foolish mistake

   Synonyms: hálfviti, asni

   Hvað er að þér, ertu eitthvað vangefinn?! ― What is the matter with you, you imbecile!

Usage notes

Was used between approximately 1930 and the early 2000s as a polite term to refer to the mentally disabled. By the 2000s it had become a common insult among children and teenagers, after which it fell out of favor. It was taken over by þroskaheftur, which itself fell out of favor for þroskaskertur in the 2010s.

Derived terms

• vangefni (“mental retardation”)

See also

• vangefið (adverb, used for emphasis)