Reykjavík Grapevine - 07.10.2011, Blaðsíða 26

Reykjavík Grapevine - 07.10.2011, Blaðsíða 26
26 The Reykjavík Grapevine Issue 16 — 2011 here are many other crazy Icelandic words that the world has been adopting (stealing) lately. Like Eyjafjallajökull. You can keep that one! We might wind up going berserk and erupting, geyser-style THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE KEEPS STEALING OUR WORDS! Language | How does it work? Considering Iceland’s unique posi- tion as a geological hotbed on the mid-Atlantic ridge, it’s not sur- prising that a couple of geological terms have been borrowed from the Icelandic language. These words are “jökulhlaup,” a scientific term used to describe the flood of water resulting from a sub-glacial volca- nic eruption, and “geyser,” a hot spring that shoots a column of wa- ter into the air. The word “jökulhlaup” is made up of the two Old Norse words, “jökull” and “hlaup,” which translate to ‘glacier’ and ‘run’ and describes the same phe- nomenon in both Icelandic and English languages. “Geysir,” from which the English word geyser is derived, on the other hand, is actually the proper name of Iceland’s most famous geyser. The generic term in Icelandic is not geysir, but “goshver.” In that sense, using the term “geyser” to describe a goshver is almost like calling all copy machines, “xerox machines,” all colourful gela- tines eaten by kids, “jello,” and all tis- sue used to blow noses, “kleenex.” Although it’s not really so conflated because “geyser” comes from “Geysir,” which comes from the Old Norse word, “geysa,” which means to gush. While jökulhlaup and geyser are among the few words borrowed from Icelandic, many English words are derived directly from Old Norse, the language spoken by Iceland’s Vi- king ancestors a thousand years ago. When the Vikings sailed to the English- speaking world, they planted Old Norse into the existing language, which has resulted in the growth of a number of cognates shared by the modern English and Icelandic languages. Some of them, including the word “berserk” also have unique historical origins in Iceland. Berserk – adj. marked by crazed or frenzied behaviour suggestive of sud- den mental imbalance—usually used in the phrase, go berserk.” - Merriam Webster dictionary Perhaps it seems apt that the word “berserk” has some history in a coun- try full of people who supposedly be- lieve in a hidden world of elves, ghosts and fairies—at least to those who think that’s totally bonkers, nuts, bananas, crackers, whatever. But, the word ber- serk has nothing to do with that. It ac- tually refers to the “Berserkers,” who were Vikings notorious for their fren- zied battles. Descriptions of the Berserkers can be found in a number of Old Icelandic Sagas, including Snorri Sturluson’s Yn- glinga saga: “his [Odin's] men rushed forward without armour, were as mad as dogs or wolves, bit their shields, and were as strong as bears or wild bulls, and killed people at a blow, but neither fire nor iron told upon themselves.” One theory about why they ran wild on the battlefield has these Vikings consuming the psychoactive Amanita Muscaria mushroom (known as the Berserker mushroom in Iceland). In his article, ‘On Going Berserk: A neuro- chemical inquiry,’ psychiatrist Howard Fabing finds that the consumption of bufotenine, which is found in the Ama- nita Muscaria mushroom, may play a neurological role in causing schizo- phrenia, supporting this theory of how the already ferocious Vikings worked themselves into a berserker rage on the battlefield. But fear not, the Berserkers are said to have disappeared around 1100 AD after being sentenced to outlawry, and the modern day berserk usually doesn’t travel in pillaging gangs. ANNA ANDERSEN LAURENT GAUTHIER Eyrarbraut 3, 825 Stokkseyri, Iceland · Tel. +354 483 1550 Fax. +354 483 1545 · info@fjorubordid.is · www.fjorubordid.is At the Restaurant Fjöruborðið in Stokkseyri > Only 45 minutes drive from Reykjavík By the sea and lobster a delicios In this new and fascinating book photographer Vilhelm Gunnarsson takes us on a unique journey. From the vast highlands to the lush lowlands, these are truly the Top Ten Places in Iceland. Top 10 in Iceland www.salka.is Gilsbakki Finally—proof that IDM's not dead Skurken has proudly upheld the name of IDM or electronica (or whatever you want to call that brand of music) for over a decade. In an era governed by guitar-based music this has surely been a struggle, but Skurken has trudged along and long time fans will receive ‘Gilsbakki’ warmly. Furthermore, the moment for acquiring a new batch just might have arrived. His latest offering contains thirteen dense compositions, most of which are pretty upbeat and move fast between chords and moods. Glitch is kept at a minimum, and poppier moods prevail. At times, the tracks are almost too co- lourful, and one would prefer a subtler approach and further development of atmospheres over the unbroken string of trebly notes and triads, which aren't Skurken's strongest features. Take for example ‘Kannski,’ a pleasant enough track, well produced, but the melodies reek of midi sequencing and múm. But then there are beautifully con- structed moments: the cathartic climax of ‘Bistisbo’ and the rave-like synths and DnB rhythms of ‘Arnþrúður’ are clever, the 303/acid elements that pop up in a handful of tracks are very origi- nal in this context, and Skurken's ap- propriation of synthesizers that evoke the hazy world of Boards of Canada is masterful, introducing a ray of sunshine into their often melancholy take on nos- talgia. Thankfully, such moments are widely to be found, leaving ‘Gilsbakki’ at times on par with work by luminaries such as Plaid, (Chris) Clark and Ulrich Schnauss. - ATLI BOLLASON Skurken
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