Breakdown of Þetta er algjör vitleysa!
þetta
this
vera
to be
algjör
complete, total, utter
vitleysan
the nonsense, the rubbish
Questions & Answers about Þetta er algjör vitleysa!
Why is the neuter pronoun Þetta used when the noun vitleysa is feminine?
When pointing out a general situation, action, or concept using 'This is...', Icelandic always uses the neuter pronoun þetta (or það for 'it'). The starting pronoun does not adopt the gender of the predicate noun that follows the verb. However, notice that the adjective algjör does correctly agree with the feminine noun vitleysa.
What is the literal breakdown of the word vitleysa?
It is composed of vit (meaning sense, wit, or intelligence) and the suffix -leysa (meaning a lack of something, derived from the adjective laus). Literally translating to 'senselessness', it is the most common way to say nonsense, foolishness, or a silly mistake in Icelandic.
Are there other common adjectives that pair with vitleysa to mean 'complete nonsense'?
Yes! While algjör (absolute or complete) is extremely common, you will also frequently hear Icelanders say tóm vitleysa (literally 'empty nonsense') or hrein vitleysa (literally 'pure nonsense'). All three are excellent, natural-sounding collocations for a B2 speaker to use.
How does the adjective algjör behave grammatically here?
It is in the feminine nominative singular form to match vitleysa. For this specific adjective, that strong declension form happens to have a zero-ending, meaning it looks identical to the base dictionary form. It functions exactly like 'total' or 'absolute' in English to intensely emphasize the noun.
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