heimalingur

Icelandic

Etymology

A very common folk etymology re-interpretation of the word heimalningur (heim (“home”) + ala (“feed, nourish”)), here interpreted as heima (“at home”) plus the diminutive -lingur.

Noun

heimalingur m (genitive singular heimalings, nominative plural heimalingar)

Alternative spelling of heimalningur (“a home-fed lamb”)

Declension

Declension of heimalingur (masculine)

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	heimalingur	heimalingurinn	heimalingar	heimalingarnir
accusative	heimaling	heimalinginn	heimalinga	heimalingana
dative	heimalingi	heimalingnum	heimalingum	heimalingunum
genitive	heimalings	heimalingsins	heimalinga	heimalinganna

Usage notes

Heimalningur is the only variant listed in dictionaries, however "heimalingur" is how the majority of people interpret this word and it is commonly seen in writing, having been in use since at least 1927.^[1]

References

^ “Þar sprakk blaðran”, in Ísland, 11 edition, 1927, page 2: “Morgunblaðið er eins og heimalingur hjá Jónasi á Hriflu, sem sötrar einokunargutlið úr sömu fötunni og Jónas frá Hriflu og hans nánustu.”

[1] “Þar sprakk blaðran”, in Ísland, 11 edition, 1927, page 2: “Morgunblaðið er eins og heimalingur hjá Jónasi á Hriflu, sem sötrar einokunargutlið úr sömu fötunni og Jónas frá Hriflu og hans nánustu.”

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