Stylistic Fronting in Formal Texts
In everyday spoken Icelandic, a passive relative clause mirrors English: "which was written" translates directly to sem var ritað.
However, in ancient texts, mythology, or formal literature, you will often see a shift called stylistic fronting. The past participle jumps in front of the auxiliary verb (usually var or er). Instead of sem var ritað, literary Icelandic prefers sem ritað var.
| This is the ancient text which was written in Iceland. | Þetta er fornritið sem ritað var á Íslandi. |
| The hero read the book which was written about the gods. | Hetjan las bókina sem rituð var um guðina. |
Adding the Agent
To express who performed the action in passive clauses—equivalent to the English "by"—use the preposition af.
| The story which was written by his brother is true. | Sagan sem rituð var af bróður hans er sönn. |
Agreement in Gender
Because the past participle in a passive sentence acts like an adjective, its ending changes to match the gender, number, and case of the noun being described. Notice how the participle adapts below (neuter, masculine, and feminine respectively).
| This is the poem which was sung at the feast. | Þetta er kvæðið sem sungið var í veislunni. |
| The message which was interpreted is clear. | Boðskapurinn sem túlkaður var er skýr. |
| The dragon is a symbol which was used widely. | Drekinn er táknmynd sem notuð var víða. |
Literary Contexts
This elegant word order is heavily used when discussing Iceland's literary heritage, such as epic poems and ancient verses.
| The epic poem which was created by the poet is magnificent. | Kviðan sem sköpuð var af skáldinu er stórfengleg. |
| The verse which was spoken by the giant is famous. | Vísan sem sögð var af jötninum er fræg. |