# Icelandic: saeglopur



## rachelann0

Saeglopur is the name of a song by the band Sigur Ros. The translation given is "lost at sea." However, sigur ros is known to mix made up words with icelandic words. so i was wondering, is saeglopur a real icelandic word or just one they made up?


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## Silver_Biscuit

I don't know if it's in actual usage (it doesn't appear in any of my dictionaries), but 'sæglópur' seems to be an amalgamation of the words:

*sær* - sea
*glópur* - fool, idiot

So...

*sæglópur* - sea-fool

Perhaps it implies an unskilled sailor, someone who is foolish enough to get lost at sea, but I can't see that it literally means 'lost at sea'. Still, I could well be wrong about this - because I am not a native or fluent speaker of Icelandic. If it really does mean 'lost at sea', I'd love to know how it means that, if any of the Icelanders could explain that!


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## sindridah

I've only heard of "Strandaglópur" but never sæglópur, My Icelandic dictionary doesn't have the word sæglópur.

Strandaglópur is basicly for example let's say you're on an airplane on your way to United States from UK and you get really drunk on the airplane and the crew on the airplane decides to let you off in Iceland because of your behavior, Then you are *Strandaglópur* in Iceland.

So *Strandaglópur* is a man stopped in the middle of his way and can't get further.

*Sæglópur* it sounds to me like Sigurrós are just trying to be nifty with their word choice. With suceed?, I don't know i'm not one to judge. It's not generally accepted word.

But *sæglópur *has the same meaning as _strandaglópur_ but it occurs on a sea i guess....



And i found this:
"*Sæglópur*" (Icelandic for "lost at sea") is a song by Sigur Rós, released in 2006 as a single from the 2005 album _Takk..._. Parts of the song are in Icelandic, _*although a lengthy portion is in Hopelandic, a "language" of nonsense words selected by the band that sound similar to Icelandic.*_

That explains something


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## rachelann0

Thanks a lot guys! 
It seems likely that instead of "lost at sea" it means more closely "one who is lost at sea" (thanks for the def of glópur silverbiscuit). And i couldnt find it in any dictionaries online, except for here on forvo.com (which actually gives a pronunciation as well) but I'm not sure how authoritative that is.

(I tried to post a link but alas i am too new).


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## Havfruen

I guess the English translation of "Strandaglópur" is one who is stranded or even shipwrecked. Do I see a common root here?  I know "strand" is beach in Danish...and it seems "stranda" is coast in Icelandic.


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## Silver_Biscuit

Havfruen said:


> I guess the English translation of "Strandaglópur" is one who is stranded or even shipwrecked. Do I see a common root here? I know "strand" is beach in Danish...and it seems "stranda" is coast in Icelandic.


 
Nearly. Stranda is a verb meaning 'to strand'. It's also one of the forms (genitive plural) of the noun *strönd*, which does mean coast/beach. So stranda as a noun would mean _of beaches_ or _beaches'_.


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## hanne

"Strande" is the Danish verb for "to strand".


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## sindridah

I believe strandaglópur would be *efternøler *in Danish


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## hanne

sindridah said:


> I believe strandaglópur would be *efternøler *in Danish



In that case it is a child that is born later than its siblings - an "afterthought". Which isn't the meaning you gave first (someone who's stuck halfway).
Is it one or the other or both?


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## sindridah

Well that is what my dictionary gave me. Danish probably doesn't have that word or it is in a completely another context.


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## hanne

So, just to clarify, "strandaglópur" has the meaning you described first (someone stuck halfway), and nothing else?


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## sindridah

No ofcourse only what i described first.


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## Silver_Biscuit

Strand is also 'beach' in English, of course. And German, and Dutch. I love seeing all the links between the different Scandinavian/Germanic languages!


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## joopabma

The root is typically for germanic languages. Strand in dutch means also beach. "gestrand" means the same as in english "stranded". Inm dutch there is also the word "landloper", for someone who is astray. you see, lots of similarities here.


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## Silver_Biscuit

Woah, blast from the past.


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