# Icelandic: aumingi



## Alxmrphi

Hey all,

When you think of the word aumingi, what's the first significance that comes to mind? Is it an insult or is a word used to describe someone who is poor (or even _unfortunate_?)

One dictionary lists translations such as retard / nerd / weakling among others like _poor fellow_.. and I can't tell if it's to do with a financial situation or if it means our way of expressing sympathy with someone i.e. "_His uncle has just died, poor fellow_".

Then another dictionary says sissy / bum, which again matches the other translations but also lists the ambiguous "Poor" translation, I wouldn't want to be sympathetic to someone and call them a retard.

What kind of situations / people would you refer to as* aumingjar*? Are all of them bad? Is there a sympathetic use or is it about financial? (the translation 'bum' makes me think this as well).

Ég er ögn ruglaður um notkunina þessa orðs, þannig að ég hugsaði að ég spyrji ykkur

Takk
Alex


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## kepulauan

The first thing that comes to mind is definitely _weakling_. I found a reason to look it up in Webster's Online and the definition there gets _aumingi_ very well! It can be an insult too.

_Poor fellow_ comes second and is used with simpathy (needn't be for financial reasons) especially towards kids. It is maybe most used by elders. _Aumingja-_ something, however, always falls into this category: 'aumingja maðurinn' = 'poor guy', not 'looser'.

The plural is _aumin*g*jar_. I think _bum_ is supposed to be 'someone useless'.


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## Alxmrphi

Thanks pollodia!
I've corrected the typo in the plural! 

So.... going back to the Besti Flokkurinn video )):



> Allskonar fyrir aumingja!
> Disneyland í Vatnsmýri!
> Fíkniefnalaust Alþingi 2020!
> Sjálfbært gegnsæi!



This isn't the insulting version is it? It's more to do with the people that others pity / feel sorry for, for some reason or other?


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## kepulauan

Eeeh.. I had to listen to it again but I don't know what to say. Could be anything.


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## Alxmrphi

pollodia said:


> Eeeh.. I had to listen to it again but I don't know what to say. Could be anything.



Ahh so it's ambiguous, that's fine, I just thought it might have been more specific, but plenty of things that could easily mean 2 things happen in English songs / texts all the time.

Takk fyrir hjálpina.
(Vaktarðu seint!! )


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## kepulauan

This guy used to compose lyrics off the top of his head live.. daily. They were all full of corny grammar.


Fareastern phonetics never sleep! (except when it's daytime in Europe)

vakirðu = do you stay awake
vaktarðu = do you stand guard / nightwatch


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## Alxmrphi

pollodia said:


> Fareastern phonetics never sleep! (except when it's daytime in Europe)



Sorry, I don't understand what you mean? Did you man fanatics? Or are you doing a phonetics project?
I've just checked the webcams on inspiredbyiceland.com and yeah, it's very bright now!

I actually meant _þú vaktir seint!_ (You're awake late!)
The dictionary did list awake as an -ir verb but then beygingarlýsing only recognised the -ar form so that's what I copied, woops! 

But I'm glad I did make that mistake because now I know the difference of the two different verbs


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## kepulauan

vaktir seint = stayed up late
vakir seint = are awake late
But I'm sure you already knew that.

I was tuning my Mandarin pronunciation, with WRF help.
Sunrise at 1am ruins my sleep and jokes alike.


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## Alxmrphi

pollodia said:


> vaktir seint = stayed up late
> vakir seint = are awake late
> But I'm sure you already knew that.


Ahh! Yes, I just remembered adding the_ t_ from the other wrong example and copied it again without thinking (it _was_ late), now I get what you meant!
Thanks again.


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## Ingason

Alxmrphi said:


> Hey all,
> 
> When you think of the word aumingi, what's the first significance that comes to mind? Is it an insult or is a word used to describe someone who is poor (or even _unfortunate_?)
> 
> One dictionary lists translations such as retard / nerd / weakling among others like _poor fellow_.. and I can't tell if it's to do with a financial situation or if it means our way of expressing sympathy with someone i.e. "_His uncle has just died, poor fellow_".
> 
> Then another dictionary says sissy / bum, which again matches the other translations but also lists the ambiguous "Poor" translation, I wouldn't want to be sympathetic to someone and call them a retard.
> 
> What kind of situations / people would you refer to as* aumingjar*? Are all of them bad? Is there a sympathetic use or is it about financial? (the translation 'bum' makes me think this as well).
> 
> Ég er ögn ruglaður um notkunina þessa orðs, þannig að ég hugsaði að ég spyrji ykkur
> 
> Takk
> Alex


Doesn't it mean pussy?


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## Silver_Biscuit

Ingason said:


> Doesn't it mean pussy?



It means more than one thing, but it's not a gendered insult like that, so personally I don't think that would be a good translation.


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## klandri

Silver_Biscuit said:


> It means more than one thing, but it's not a gendered insult like that, so personally I don't think that would be a good translation.



Nonsense. Pussy is the perfect translation.


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