Word of the Week--"Fjord" Definition--a long narrow steep-sided
inlet of the sea between two steep slopes, e.g. in Norway,
Greenland or Alaska, formed by the flooding of a previously
glaciated valley. Discussion--If you look up words that start
with the letters "fj" in the allwords dictionary, you won't find
much. (And if you believed my elementary school teachers, you
shouldn't find anything.) Few Scandinavian words have migrated
to English or the Romance languages, and "fj" is a decidedly
Scandinavian consonant construction. I love the sound of the
term fjord and have dubbed it my favorite "fj" word. It is a
lonely term in our language, just as a fjord is generally a
lonely place. Deep water surrounded by cliffs can have an
oppressive feel, but I suspect they are just the place for quiet
contemplation. Etymology--Not surprisingly, Fjord has
Scandinavian roots. It is Norwegian, from the Old Norse fjr. The
languages below show all show the same roots. Share this page:
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