If you speak Icelandic, please read!

August 12, 2012 1:41 PM

Do you speak icelandic? If so, you could really help us out!

We are leaving France for Iceland tomorrow morning. We have a son who is peanut allergic - potentially fatally so. While in France we have benefitted from carrying around a little card that says: "Our son has a very serious peanut allergy. Will you please make sure that no peanuts (including peanut oil or other ingredients) are in his food?" in French.

We have never been to Iceland before. We don't know if everyone speaks english or not - and if so if their level of fluency is high enough for us to be confident that they have understood the urgency of our message.

So, if you speak icelandic, would you please translate the above sentence into the language? I know this is short notice, but I can get this printed tomorrow morning before we leave if someone responds. Thank you!

posted by crapples to travel & transportation around Iceland (11 answers total)

Google Translate can hack it for you if you get desperate.
posted by gerryblog at 1:44 PM on August 12, 2012

There are online translation services that can also translate for you - with real people doing the translating, not machines - within hours. It probably wouldn't be very expensive, since it's a short phrase.

For example, this translation service (which I found with google and haven't used, no idea if they are any good; it also looks like there would be an up-to 24 hour delay for an English to Icelandic translation) charges by the word. But - if no one here happens to speak Icelandic, I'd google around to see if you can find something.
posted by insectosaurus at 1:48 PM on August 12, 2012

You can also buy an allergy card in Icelandic by email from this company.
posted by charmcityblues at 1:48 PM on August 12, 2012

This company has Icelandic allergy cards.
posted by Chaussette and the Pussy Cats at 1:49 PM on August 12, 2012

Just back to add that the company will email you the cards if you select that option at checkout.
posted by Chaussette and the Pussy Cats at 1:50 PM on August 12, 2012

Almost every single person we spoke to in Iceland spoke English. So not only are you likely to be able to sufficiently communicate in English at the restaurants where you eat, but you will be able to ask many people to make you a card just like the one you've been using in France.

I'd start with someone at one of the information kiosks in the airport. Then, when you get to your hotel, ask there. The next place you go, ask again. After asking a few people you can feel confident that you have the right phrase written down to communicate this important message.
posted by MoonOrb at 1:52 PM on August 12, 2012 [2 favorites]

Where in Iceland will you be? English is widely spoken in Reykjavik.
posted by dfriedman at 1:52 PM on August 12, 2012

Meanwhile you might find the basic phrases on this list useful
(icelandic is no. 24)
http://www.tripbase.com/blog/how-to-say-im-allergic-to-peanuts-in-45-languages/
posted by runincircles at 2:05 PM on August 12, 2012

I am a native Icelandic speaker:

"Sonur okkur er með alvarlegt hnetuofnæmi. Geturðu vinsamlegast gengið úr skugga um að engar hnetur (þar með talið hnetuolía eða aðrar hnetuafurðir) séu í matnum hans?"
posted by Bektashi at 2:58 PM on August 12, 2012 [18 favorites]

Everyone I've met in Iceland -- including far outside Reykjavik -- speaks English, and they speak it very well.
posted by J. Wilson at 4:22 PM on August 12, 2012

Also, there's very little peanut use in Iceland. Have a great time; it's a beautiful country.
posted by Capri at 5:03 PM on August 12, 2012