Etymology

This term is believed to come from the Vikings of West Norway, who settled the Faroe Islands from ca. 825. It means "off north" and reflects to the fact, that in northwest is only open sea (from a Western Norwegian viewpoint). The opposite term is landnyrðingur "landward north" and reflects to the fact, that in northeast is only land. Compare útsynningur (southwest, "off south") and landsynningur (southeast, "landward south"). This is remarkable, for it gives a proof, that a considerable part of the first settlers came from West Norway, where such a perception makes sense, whereas from a Faroese point of view, there is no such direction as "landward" (apart from distant Iceland in the northwest, Scotland in the south and Norway in the east).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈʏtnɪrɪnɡʊr]