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Icelandic (Iceland) style guide

Voice and register

  • Write short, easy-to-read sentences.
  • Avoid passive voice.
  • Be pleasant. Make explanations individualized and enjoyable to read.
  • Avoid slang. Be careful with colloquialisms. A conversational tone is fine, stay professional.
  • Do not overuse brand or product names or logos. Name them correctly.
  • Avoid the corporate we, such as Microsoft announces…, We're proud to introduce…, We want you to know. Keep the focus on you.
  • Write clear, friendly, concise. Use everyday conversational language, not formal technical language.
  • Translate the intent, never literally.
  • Non-standard translations are allowed when they keep the intent.
  • Technical terms for technical readers, common words for consumers.

Word choice

  • App: use app, not application or program.
  • Pick, choose: use pick in fun, less formal, light-weight situations (pick a color, not choose a color); use choose in formal situations. Do not use select unless the UI needs it.
  • Drive: for any drive type. Use the specific drive type when needed.
  • Get: fine for obtain or come into possession of. Avoid for other meanings.
  • Info: use in most situations unless information fits better. Use info when pointing the reader elsewhere (for more info, see <link>).
  • PC: for personal computing devices. Use computer for PCs and Macs together.
  • You: address the user as you, with first- and second-person pronouns. Avoid third person, such as user: it sounds formal and impersonal.
  • Use shortened words and short everyday words. Keep approved terminology. Do not coin a new target term for an established one.
  • Use shortened forms of composite words where possible.
  • Address the user as þú where appropriate. Avoid the older, formal notandi.
  • Icelandic has no shortened forms for app and info: use forrit and upplýsingar. For info other wording may simplify.
  • email -> tölvupóstur -> póstur
  • hard drive -> harður diskur -> diskur
  • internet -> internetið -> netið
  • mail app -> tölvupóstforrit -> póstforrit
  • get more info -> fá nánari upplýsingar -> fræðast meira

Words and phrases to avoid

  • Achieve -> Do
  • As well as -> Also, too
  • Attempt -> Try
  • Configure -> Set up
  • Encounter -> Meet
  • Execute -> Run
  • Halt -> Stop
  • Have an opportunity -> Can
  • However -> But
  • Give/provide guidance, give/provide information -> Help
  • In addition -> Also
  • In conjunction with -> With
  • Locate -> Find
  • Make a recommendation -> Recommend
  • Modify -> Change
  • Navigate -> Go
  • Obtain -> Get
  • Perform -> Do
  • Purchase -> Buy
  • Refer to -> See
  • Resolve -> Fix
  • Subsequent -> Next
  • Suitable -> Works well
  • Terminate -> End
  • Toggle -> Switch
  • Utilize -> Use
  • Avoid old-fashioned, formal Icelandic words and expressions.
  • Do not translate please into Icelandic, unless leaving it out would be really rude.
  • allow: avoid heimila -> leyfa
  • also: avoid einnig -> líka
  • perform: avoid framkvæma -> gera
  • locate: avoid staðsetja -> finna
  • suitable: avoid viðeigandi -> hentugur

Sample voice text: address the user to take action

  • The password isn't correct, so please try again. Passwords are case-sensitive. -> Aðgangsorðið er ekki rétt. Reyndu aftur. Há- og lágstafir skipta máli í aðgangsorðum.
  • This product key didn't work. Please check it and try again. -> Þessi virkjunarlykill virkaði ekki. Athugaðu hann og reyndu aftur.
  • All ready to go -> Nú er allt til reiðu
  • Would you like to continue? -> Viltu halda áfram?
  • Give your PC a name—any name you want. If you want to change the background color, turn high contrast off in PC settings. -> Gefðu tölvunni þinni nafn – hvaða nafn sem þér dettur í hug. Ef þú vilt breyta bakgrunnslitnum skaltu slökkva á háskerpu í tölvustillingunum.
  • Address the user directly with the second person pronoun.

Sample voice text: promoting a feature

  • Picture password is a new way to help you protect your touchscreen PC. You choose the picture—and the gestures you use with it—to create a password that's uniquely yours. -> Myndaðgangsorð eru ný leið til að verja tölvur með snertiskjá. Þú velur þér mynd og hreyfiskipanir sem þú teiknar á myndina til að búa til aðgangsorð sem er einstakt fyrir þig.
  • Let apps give you personalized content based on your PC's location, name, account picture, and other domain info. -> Leyfðu forritum að sjá þér fyrir sérsniðnu efni eftir staðsetningu tölvunnar, heiti hennar, notandamyndinni og öðrum upplýsingum.
  • Use everyday words, for example PC.

Sample voice text: providing how-to guidelines

  • To go back and save your work, click Cancel and finish what you need to. -> Til að fara til baka og vista efnið þitt skaltu smella á Hætta við og ganga frá því sem er ólokið.
  • To confirm your current picture password, just watch the replay and trace the example gestures shown on your picture. -> Til að staðfesta núgildandi myndaðgangsorð skaltu horfa á endurtekninguna og teikna sýnishorn hreyfiskipananna sem birtast á myndinni.
  • It's time to enter the product key. When you connect to the Internet, we'll activate Windows for you. -> Nú er komið að því að slá inn virkjunarlykilinn. Við virkjum Windows svo fyrir þig þegar þú tengist internetinu.

Sample voice text: explanatory text and providing support

  • The updates are installed, but Windows 11 Setup needs to restart for them to work. After it restarts, we'll keep going from where we left off. -> Uppfærslurnar hafa verið settar upp en Uppsetning Windows 11 þarf að endurræsa sig til þess að þær virki. Eftir endurræsingu höldum við áfram þar sem frá var horfið.
  • If you restart now, you and any other people using this PC could lose unsaved work. -> Ef þú endurræsir núna gætir þú og aðrir sem eru að nota tölvuna glatað óvistuðu efni.
  • This document will be automatically moved to the right library and folder after you correct invalid or missing properties. -> Skjalið verður sjálfkrafa fært í rétt safn og rétta möppu þegar búið er að lagfæra eiginleika sem eru ógildir eða vantar.
  • Something bad happened! Unable to locate downloaded files to create your bootable USB flash drive. -> Nú klikkaði eitthvað! Ekki tókst að finna sóttar skrár til að búa til ræsanlegan USB-lykil.
  • Use we for a personal feel. Keep sentences short.

Inclusive language

  • Comply with local language laws.
  • Use plain, concrete, familiar words. Prefer two syllables over three.
  • Name only places that are not politically disputed. Use equivalent references. Do not mix countries with states or continents.
  • Show diverse people, professions, educational settings, locales, economic settings.
  • Never stereotype by region, culture, age, gender, not even positively. Vary names for job roles.
  • No profane or derogatory terms.
  • No slang that could be cultural appropriation.
  • No terms with racial bias, none tied to military actions, politics, controversial history.
  • primary/subordinate, not master/slave -> aðal/aðstoðar, not húsbóndi/þræll
  • perimeter network, not demilitarized zone (DMZ) -> jaðarnet, not hlutlaust belti
  • stop responding, not hang -> hætta að svara, not frjósa
  • expert, not guru -> sérfræðingur, not gúrú
  • colleagues; everyone; all, not guys; ladies and gentlemen -> starfsfélagar; samstarfsfólk; allir; allt; öll, not strákar; krakkar; herrar mínir og frúr; dömur mínar og herrar
  • parent, not mother or father -> foreldri, not móðir eða faðir; mamma eða pabbi

Avoid gender bias

  • Use gender-neutral alternatives. Avoid compounds with gender-specific terms (karl, kona).
  • hjúkrunarkona -> hjúkrunarfræðingur (nurse)
  • fóstra -> leikskólakennari (kindergarten teacher)
  • ræstingakona -> ræstitæknir (cleaner)
  • For generalization use plural noun forms: fólk, einstaklingar, nemendur
  • Refer to a person's role: lesandi, starfsmaður, viðskiptavinur, kúnni
  • Use manneskja or einstaklingur.
  • To call someone, select the person's name, select Make a phone call, and then choose the number you'd like to dial., not To call someone, select his name, select Make a phone call, and then select his number. -> Til að hringja í einhvern skal velja nafn viðkomandi, velja Hringja og síðan velja númerið sem þú vilt hringja í., not Til að hringja í einhvern skaltu velja nafn hans, velja Hringja og síðan velja númerið hans.
  • For a real person use the pronouns that person prefers: hann, hún, hán, or another. Gendered pronouns such as hann, hún, hans, hennar are fine for real people who use them.
  • Avoid a slash to combine both genders. Exception: License Terms, column and row headers may use hann/hún.
  • When addressing the user directly, both genders may be needed. Use parentheses: Welcome to the Password Reset Wizard -> Velkomin(n) í uppsetningarforrit skanna og myndavéla

Accessibility

  • Focus on people, not disabilities. No pity words such as sjúk/sjúkur, veik/veikur, þjáist af. Mention a disability only when relevant.
  • person with a disability, not handicapped -> fatlaður einstaklingur, not þroskaheftur
  • person without a disability, not normal person; healthy person -> ófatlaður einstaklingur, not eðlileg manneskja/heilbrigð manneskja
  • Use generic verbs that fit all input methods and devices.
  • Select, not Click -> Velja, not Smella
  • Keep paragraphs short, sentences simple. One verb per sentence. Read aloud and imagine a screen reader.
  • Spell out words like plús and um það bil (u.þ.b.). Screen readers misread &, +, ~.
  • Accessibility options serve cognitive, hearing, physical, visual disabilities. Some accessible products may be unavailable in Icelandic-speaking markets.

Abbreviations

  • Abbreviate UI words (buttons, options) only for lack of space.
  • Abbreviate by omitting part of the word and marking it with a period: Skilaboð – Skilab.
  • Keep meaning clear and legible. Avoid abbreviating verbs.
  • Use the standard abbreviations in Íslensk orðabók.
  • að minnsta kosti -> a.m.k.
  • athugið -> ath.
  • blaðsíða -> bls.
  • dagsetning -> dags.
  • framhald -> frh.
  • með tilliti til -> m.t.t.
  • með öðrum orðum -> m.ö.o.
  • númer -> nr.
  • og fleira -> o.fl.
  • og svo framvegis -> o.s.frv.
  • og þess háttar -> o.þ.h.
  • samanber -> sbr.
  • samkvæmt -> skv.
  • skammstöfun -> skst.
  • svo sem -> s.s.
  • stykki -> stk.
  • til dæmis -> t.d.
  • um það bil -> u.þ.b.
  • það er -> þ.e.
  • það er að segja -> þ.e.a.s.
  • þar á meðal -> þ. á m.
  • No exclusion list: no Icelandic word is barred from abbreviation.
  • Do not abbreviate unless necessary. When length forces it, abbreviate judiciously and keep the text understandable.

Acronyms

  • Acronyms take the initial letters of major parts of a compound term: WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get), DNS (Domain Name Server), HTML (Hypertext Markup Language).
  • Acronyms take no period, unlike abbreviations.
  • Acronyms are less used in Icelandic than in English, and are usually of English origin or loan words. A high frequency of acronyms makes the text read as foreign.
  • At first occurrence write the term out in full with the acronym in parentheses directly after. Most acronyms are proper nouns and stay untranslated. If translated, add the untranslated form in parentheses with the acronym.
  • In online help or documentation spell out the words at first use, with the Icelandic translation, the US term, and the acronym: Gagnaaðgengishlutir (Data Access Objects, DAO)
  • In the UI there is rarely room for all three terms. In wizards spell out and localize on first mention. Under space constraints, or with no first occurrence, judge whether to leave the acronym as is or spell it out and localize.
  • Never create a new acronym from the Icelandic translation. Leave the English acronym or abbreviation intact, for example DLL and DPI.
  • OLE/DDE link -> OLE/DDE-tengill
  • Many abbreviations and acronyms are standardized and stay untranslated. Add the full English spelling only when the acronym needs explaining. For a common acronym the full form only confuses users.
  • Do not localize or spell out: ANSI (American National Standards Institute), ISO (International Standards Organization)
  • LAN -> LAN

Adjectives

  • For general adjective grammar use general Icelandic references.
  • Use possessive adjectives sparingly. Use them only to underline ownership and to avoid ambiguity.
  • Do you want (!idspnOneNote) to search audio and video when you search your notes? -> Viltu að (!idspnOneNote) leiti í hljóð- og myndskrám þegar þú leitar í minnispunktum?
  • The above recipients can view your calendar if you publish. -> Ofangreindir viðtakendur geta skoðað dagbókina þína ef þú birtir.

Articles

  • Articles are affixed and depend on the gender and number of the word they qualify.
  • Product names and non-translated feature names take no definite or indefinite article, as in English. When the name is part of a noun phrase, the Icelandic words in that phrase take normal articles and declension.
  • Open the Microsoft Word document. -> Opnaðu Microsoft Word-skjalið.
  • Feature names are either kept as in the source or fully translated.
  • Open the Task Manager -> Opnaðu Verkstjórnun (fully translated)
  • Open the folder in File Explorer -> Opnaðu möppuna í Skráavafri (untranslated names stay as in the source)
  • Do not use English loan words unless no other option exists or the loan word is already officially part of Icelandic.
  • For a loan word check motivation (does the English word integrate into the Icelandic noun class system), analogy (is there an equivalent Icelandic term whose article fits), and frequency (which article other technical documentation uses most).
  • Use these settings to change the way your blog looks. -> Notaðu þessar stillingar til að breyta útliti bloggsins.; not Notaðu þessar stillingar til að breyta útliti fyrir blog. blog is a permitted borrowed term, localized to blogg to fit Icelandic phonology and grammar.

Capitalization

  • Match the source on the first word: capital for capital, lower for lower, unless Icelandic rules differ.
  • Only the first word of a sentence is capitalized. Do not copy other capitals from the English sentence. Follow article 5 of Auglýsing um íslenska stafsetningu nr. 132/1974.
  • unknown software exception\r\n -> óþekkt hugbúnaðarfrábrigði\r\n
  • acquired -> var fengið
  • Log off user -> Skrá notanda út
  • Edit... -> Breyta...
  • Change Page Date -> Breyta dagsetningu síðu

Compounds

  • Keep compounds clear. Avoid long or complex compounds.
  • Write the parts together as one word unless the compound is very long. A preposition can break up a long or awkward compound.
  • Compounds are usually formed with the genitive case: the first part in genitive, the second added to it.
  • network communication error -> netsamskiptavilla, villa í netsamskiptum; not net samskipta villa
  • spreadsheet functions -> töflureiknisaðgerðir, aðgerðir í töflureikni
  • With an English product name or acronym, put a hyphen between the English term and the Icelandic word. With a multi-word product name the hyphen goes after the last English word.
  • Windows password -> Windows-aðgangsorð
  • Microsoft Word document -> Microsoft Word-skjal
  • Microsoft SQL Server Database -> Microsoft SQL Server-gagnagrunnur
  • HTML Code -> HTML-kóði
  • TCP/IP Protocol -> TCP/IP-samskiptaregla
  • 24 bit color value -> 24 bita litagildi
  • Never change the spelling of untranslated English compounds: Service Pack, not Servicepack
  • Hyphenate compounds of an acronym, abbreviation, or numeral plus a noun per existing conventions: OLE-hlutur

Genitive

  • Genitive is one of four cases and denotes the owner of something.
  • The prepositions til, vegna, sökum, sakir force the following noun into the genitive. This is a problem with placeholders.
  • Send the e-mail to the contact -> Sendu tölvupóstinn til tengiliðarins. til forces tengiliður into genitive.
  • Send the e-mail to %s -> Sendu tölvupóstinn til tengiliðarins %s; not Sendu tölvupóstinn til %s. The placeholder holds a name in the nominative, so rephrase to avoid an ungrammatical construction.

Localizing colloquialism, idioms, and metaphors

  • Do not swap in an Icelandic colloquialism unless it is a perfect, natural fit.
  • Translate the intended meaning, not the literal colloquialism, and only when that meaning is integral.
  • If the colloquialism can go without changing meaning, omit it.

Nouns

  • Nouns decline in four cases: nominative, accusative, dative, genitive. They vary in gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) and number (singular, plural). Two main declension paradigms: strong and weak.
  • singular nom.: hattur, borg, glas, gler
  • singular acc.: hatt, borg, glas, gler
  • singular dat.: hatti, borg, glasi, gleri
  • singular gen.: hatts, borgar, glass, glers
  • plural nom.: hattar, borgir, glös, gler
  • plural acc.: hatta, borgir, glös, gler
  • plural dat.: höttum, borgum, glösum, gler(j)um
  • plural gen.: hatta, borga, glasa, gler(j)a
  • For plural formation use general Icelandic references.

Prepositions

  • Use prepositions properly. Do not omit them or change word order under English influence.
  • Starting or ending a sentence with a preposition is acceptable.
  • migrate to -> yfirfæra á
  • migrate from -> yfirfæra af
  • import to -> flytja inn í
  • import from -> flytja inn úr
  • export to -> flytja út í
  • export from -> flytja út úr
  • update to -> uppfæra á
  • upgrade to -> uppfæra af
  • change to -> breyta í
  • click on -> breyta úr
  • connect to -> tengjast við
  • welcome to ... -> velkomin(n) í ...
  • Avoid Til að... for English to-sentences. Change the word order.
  • To create a new document, choose New on the File menu -> Veldu Nýtt í valmyndinni Skrá ef opna á nýtt skjal, Nýtt skjal er opnað með því að velja Nýtt í valmyndinni Skrá, Hægt er að opna nýtt skjal með því að velja Nýtt í valmyndinni Skrá; not Til að opna nýtt skjal skaltu velja Nýtt í valmyndinni Skrá
  • in the toolbar -> á tækjastikunni
  • on the tab -> á flipanum
  • on the menu -> á valmyndinni
  • on the net -> á netinu
  • on the Internet -> á internetinu
  • on the Web -> á vefnum
  • on a web site -> á vefsvæði
  • on a web page -> á vefsíðu

Pronouns

  • Follow the source in its use of pronouns, but tone down the second person pronoun in direct address.
  • For general information direct address is normally wrong. When asking the user to act it is normally right.
  • Change direct address by changing word order or using passives.
  • You are now connected to the Internet. -> Tengingu hefur verið komið á við internetið.
  • You cannot drop directories here. -> Ekki er hægt að sleppa skráasöfnum hér.
  • Game Over—You Win -> Leik lokið – þú vannst
  • Confirm your password -> Staðfestu aðgangsorðið

Punctuation

  • For detail see Auglýsing um greinarmerkjasetningu.
  • Never separate an independent clause and a dependent clause with a comma.
  • Use a comma between two independent clauses only when they are unrelated.
  • A comma for clarity is acceptable even when not strictly correct. Better still, rephrase or reorder, or split a long complex sentence in two.
  • Þjónustan gat ekki unnið úr skeytinu, vegna þess að snið þess var gallað. -> Þjónustan gat ekki unnið úr skeytinu vegna þess að snið þess var gallað.
  • Opnaðu möppuna veldu skrána og afritaðu hana. -> Opnaðu möppuna, veldu skrána og afritaðu hana.
  • Colon as in English, to introduce a description or a small list: Gerðu eftirfarandi: Hægrismelltu á skjalið, veldu skipun af valmyndinni og smelltu á Í lagi.
  • Never confuse the semicolon ; with the colon :.
  • The following applies: -> Eftirfarandi á við:; not Eftirfarandi á við;
  • Hyphen divides words between lines (word flow) and links parts of a compound whose first part is an English word or phrase: Opnaðu Word-skjalið.
  • Hyphenate compounds of an acronym, abbreviation, or numeral plus a noun per existing conventions: OLE-hlutur
  • En dash as minus sign, usually with spaces. En dash in number ranges, no spaces: Blaðsíða 1–10.
  • Em dash only to emphasize an isolated element or introduce a non-essential element. It can usually be omitted; using it as in the source is not wrong.
  • If you're using a laptop, don't worry—the battery won't be drained. -> Ef þú notar fartölvu þarftu ekki að hafa áhyggjur, rafhlaðan tæmist ekki. or Ef þú notar fartölvu þarftu ekki að hafa áhyggjur—rafhlaðan tæmist ekki. Replacing an em dash with a comma is optional.
  • Ellipses shorten text by omitting part of it, to carry the core meaning more clearly.
  • Some Tablet PCs are "convertibles" ... to reveal a keyboard underneath. -> Sumum spjaldtölvum er hægt að breyta ... þannig að lyklaborðið undir komi í ljós. [...] is also possible.
  • Ellipsis rules match English, so follow the source.
  • Periods end sentences, mark abbreviations, and act as thousand separator.
  • Opnaðu möppuna til að finna þetta atriði.
  • 103.000,00 kr.
  • ISK 103,000.00 -> ISK 103.000,00. Period is the thousand separator, comma the decimal separator, the opposite of English.
  • Quotation marks are used for a UI element, a third party entity, or a quotation.
  • Double quotes are correct: opening at the bottom „ (ANSI 0132), closing at the top “ (ANSI 0147). English closing mark is ” (ANSI 0148).
  • Finds pages with the term "cirque du soleil." -> Finnur síður sem innihalda setninguna „cirque du soleil“.
  • No space between parentheses and the text inside: Bættu við skilaboðum til þessa aðila (valfrjálst)

Subjunctive

  • Subjunctive is for formal speech and writing. Do not use it in a UI. Use active voice with imperative or indicative mood.

Symbols and nonbreaking spaces

  • Use non-breaking spaces (&nbsp;) only where the US text has them. Otherwise use a blank space: non-breaking spaces can create functionality problems.
  • Always translate & as and in running text. Keep & only inside a tag, placeholder, shortcut, or code.

Verbs

  • Use simple tenses. Simple present is easiest. Avoid future tense unless the event really is future and simple present cannot work. Use simple past for events already finished.
  • Follow general Icelandic grammar for verbs.
  • Translate an English gerund for a continuous operation with the infinitive.
  • Thanks for playing. -> Takk fyrir að spila.
  • Translate the gerund with a noun or substantive form when the action is removed from the user's control, when an infinitive of another verb sits next to the gerund, or when the gerund stands alone.
  • No clear-cut rule: choose the most fluent, natural option.
  • Resume printing -> Halda áfram að prenta or Halda prentun áfram. Both are valid: in the first the adverb áfram separates the two verbs; in the second the adverb ends the phrase, calling for a substantive. The second is slightly more formal, acceptable in technical context.
  • Printing Options -> Valkostir prentunar. The gerund is a noun, so the substantive prentun is the clear choice.
  • Printing -> Prentun. The gerund names an action on a menu, so use a substantive.
  • Pause printing -> Gera hlé á prentun. The infinitive gera hlé sits just before the gerund, so another infinitive would look odd.

Applications, products, and features

  • Application, product, feature names are often trademarked, so rarely translate them.
  • Application and product names are not translated in Icelandic, with exceptions: small applications shipped with the operating system that appear in the Accessories menu are often translated.
  • Version numbers always contain a period: Version 4.2 -> Útgáfa 4.2
  • Version numbers and version strings are not the same. Product, feature, component names often sit in version strings. Always translate version strings that contain copyright information.

Software considerations

  • Text must read as written in Icelandic, with idiomatic syntax and consistent terminology.
  • Translate all menus, menu items, commands, buttons, and check boxes consistently across the product.

Error messages

  • Error messages report an error the user must correct for the program to keep running. They prompt an action or report an error needing a reboot.
  • Make them natural and empathetic, not robot-like.
  • Something went wrong -> Eitthvað fór úrskeiðis
  • Not enough memory to process this command. -> Ekki er nægt minni til að vinna þessa skipun.
  • Use consistent terminology and style. Do not copy the US forms.
  • Standardize standard phrases. Use other wording only when it works better in context.
  • Cannot …, Could not … -> Ekki tókst ..., ... getur ekki; Ekki er hægt að birta upplýsingar., Outlook getur ekki vistað veffangið (URL) í skrá.
  • Failed to …, Failure of … -> Ekki tókst ...; Ekki tókst að koma á tengingu við þjóninn.
  • Cannot find …, Could not find …, Unable to find …, Unable to locate … -> ... finnst ekki; Skjalið finnst ekki.
  • Not enough memory, Insufficient memory, There is not enough memory, There is not enough memory available -> Ekki nægt minni; Ekki er nægt minni til að ljúka þessari aðgerð.
  • ... is not available, ... is unavailable -> … er ekki tiltækt; Vefsíðan er ekki tiltæk utan nets
  • For placeholders, find out what replaces the placeholder so the sentence stays grammatical.
  • %d, %ld, %u, %lu = <number>
  • %c = <letter>
  • %s = <string>
  • "Checking Web %1!d! of %2!d!" = "Checking Web <number> of <number>."
  • "INI file "%1!-.200s!" section" = "INI file "<string>" section."
  • Placeholders are hard in an inflected language, especially %s. Rephrase the sentence to keep it grammatical, even at the cost of fluency and simplicity.
  • Are you sure you want to delete the "%s" Account? -> Viltu örugglega eyða reikningi sem "%s" á?; not Viltu örugglega eyða reikningi '%s'? The name arrives in the nominative, but the second construction needs the genitive.

Keys

  • Key names, such as arrow keys, function keys, numeric keys, appear in normal text, not small caps, as in English.
  • Alt -> Alt
  • Backspace -> Bakklykill
  • Break -> Break
  • Caps Lock -> Hástafalás
  • Ctrl -> Control
  • Delete -> Eyða
  • Down Arrow -> Ör niður
  • End -> End
  • Enter -> Enter
  • Esc -> Esc-lykill
  • Home -> Home
  • Insert -> Insert
  • Left Arrow -> Ör til vinstri
  • Num Lock -> Númeralás
  • Page Down -> Síða niður
  • Page Up -> Síða upp
  • Pause -> Pause
  • Right Arrow -> Ör til hægri
  • Scroll Lock -> Scroll Lock
  • Shift -> Shift
  • Spacebar -> Bilslá
  • Tab -> Dálkalykill
  • Up Arrow -> Ör upp
  • Windows key -> Windows-lykill
  • Print Screen -> Print Screen
  • Menu Key -> Valmyndalykill

Keyboard shortcuts

  • Underlined or highlighted letters in menu options, commands, dialog boxes mark keyboard shortcuts: New, Cancel, Options
  • Slim characters I, l, t, r, f: allowed.
  • Downstroke characters g, j, y, p, q: allowed.
  • Extended characters: allowed, but avoid them.
  • Additional letter in brackets after the item name: allowed.
  • Number in brackets after the item name: allowed.
  • Punctuation sign in brackets after the item name: allowed. Do not use upper-case signs such as : (Shift+.).
  • Duplicate keyboard shortcuts: allowed when no other character is available.
  • No shortcut assigned when no more characters are available (minor options only): allowed.
  • Access key: a letter or number typed to reach UI controls with text labels. Assigned to top-level controls. Example F in Alt+F. In UI localization H&ome. Most access keys use Alt.
  • Key tip: the letter or number shown in the ribbon when Alt is pressed. In UI localization it is the last character after the ` character. Example HomeH`
  • Shortcut key: a key typed to do a common action without the UI. Not available for every command. Example Ctrl+N, Ctrl+V. Most use Ctrl. Ctrl+letter and F1 through F12 are the best choices.

English pronunciation

  • Pronounce unlocalized English terms and product names the English way, for example Microsoft.
  • Pronounce acronyms like real words, adapted to local pronunciation.
  • RADIUS -> <radíus>
  • RAS -> <ras>
  • ISA -> <isa>
  • LAN -> <lan>
  • WAN -> <van>
  • WAP -> <vap>
  • MAPI -> <mapi>
  • POP -> <pop>
  • URL -> <url>
  • Skype -> <skaɪʰp>. Pronounce product names as in the source language, as far as the Icelandic phonetic system allows.
  • Pronounce other abbreviations letter by letter.
  • ICMP -> <iséemmpé>
  • IP -> <ipé>
  • TCP/IP -> <tésépé/ipé>
  • XML -> <exemmell>
  • HTML -> <hátéemmell>
  • OWA -> <otvöfaltvaffa>
  • SQL -> <esskúell>
  • URLs: leave out http://. Read the rest entirely. Pronounce www as tvöfalt vaff, tvöfalt vaff, tvöfalt vaff. Omit the dot, or read it out the Icelandic way as punktur.
  • http://www.microsoft.com/ -> <tvöfalt vaff, tvöfalt vaff, tvöfalt vaff, mækrósoft punktur kom>
  • Most punctuation marks are implied by the sound of voice: ? ! : ; ,
  • Pronounce special characters such as / \ ˘ < > + - with the approved Icelandic translations.

Tone

  • Match the audience: informal, playful, inspiring for most products and games; formal, informative, factual for technical texts.
  • Check tone and level of formality with the product group contact.

Local usage

Choose formality for the audience and keep it consistent within a surface. Translate cultural idioms by meaning, using a natural Icelandic expression or plain wording; do not change a literal duration under cover of idiomatic adaptation.