Glossary

Words and phrases of the herring era

The cataloguing of language - words and phrases - associated with the time of harvesting and processing herring, is an enormous undertaking. Benedikt Sigurðsson, a teacher and researcher, worked towards such a glossary in 1990. Employees of the Herring Era Museum of Iceland compiled the glossary shown here in 2008 and again from 2010 to 2011. The language evokes many memories for those who lived through the herring era. For visitors, it provides a vivid sense of the times.

The glossary (in Icelandic) can be seen here:
1. Words and phrases relating to the salting of herring.
2. Words and phrases relating to barrel making.
3. Words and phrases relating to the factories.
4. Words and phrases relating to the fisheries.