English Skating Dictionary
Swedish long-distance ice-skating terms in English
Some general comments.
Most of the terms below are well established in Swedish. Since they are related to the form of outdoor skating now common in Sweden - mostly around Stockholm - but not common in the same form elsewhere, the terms in English are in some cases suggestions, not established terms.
| Swedish | English | Comments |
| Skates and boots | ||
| skridskor | skates, ice skates | |
| skena | blade | |
| kant, inre, yttre | edge, inner, outer | |
| kurva | curve | |
| fotplatta | base-plate | |
| slipning och bryning | grinding (coarse and fine) | |
| rem | strap | |
| känga, pjäxa | boot | |
| bindning | binding | |
| skosnöre | shoe-lace | |
| Säkerhetsutrustning | Safety equipment | |
| klädsel | clothing | |
| ispik | ice-pike | The relatively heavy steel-pointed stick used for testing the ice. The original design was rather like the medieval weapon 'pike'. |
| isdubbar | ice-prods | Wooden or plastic prods with sharp steel points - used to grip the ice when climbing on to it from the water. |
| räddningslina | throwing line | |
| ryggsäck | rucksack knapsack backpack |
|
| - midjeband | waistband | |
| - volym | volume | |
| - grenrem | strap between the legs, 'groin strap' | i.e. to hold the rucksack down (and you up) if you find yourself in the water |
| - vikt | weight | |
| knäskydd | knee-pad | |
| armbågsskydd | elbow-pads | |
| hjälm | helmet | |
| skidglasögon | ski-goggles | |
| flythjälp | buoyancy aid | |
| solglasögon | sunglasses | |
| Checklista | Check list | |
| skridskor | skates, ice skates | |
| dubbar | ice-prods | |
| räddningslina | throwing-line | |
| pik, ispik | ice-pike | Basically for testing the strength of the ice. Preferably heavier and stronger, but otherwise closely related to, the ski-sticks (formerly called ski-poles) which in fact many people now often carry. |
| skydd | knee & elbow pads | |
| visselpipa | whistle | |
| ryggsäck (flytväst) | rucksack (buoyancy aid) backpack |
|
| rastplagg, ombyte | reserve clothes | For rests and in case of immersion. |
| extra stav | extra stick (pike) | |
| fällkniv | pocket knife | |
| tändstickor | matches | |
| reparationsutrustning | repair equipment | Should be possessed by the group. (i.e. not necessarily by each individual) |
| sjukvårdsutrustning | first aid equipment | Should be possessed by the group |
| karta | map | Should be possessed by the group |
| kompass | Should be possessed by the group | |
| ficklampa | Should be possessed by the group | |
| skidglasögon | ski-goggles | |
| sittdyna | cushion | To sit on during breaks |
| mat och dryck | food and drink | |
| solglasögon | sun glasses | |
| kamera | camera | |
| kikare | binoculars | |
| tidtabell | time-tables | Should be possessed by the group |
| mobiltelefon | mobile phone | |
| Livräddning, skador | Life-saving, injuries | |
| skydd mot avkylning | protection against hypothermia | |
| Sårskador | Surface wounds | |
| pulsåderblödning | arterial bleeding | |
| Inre blödningar | internal bleeding | |
| näsblödning | nose bleeding | |
| tandskador | dental injuries | |
| skallskador | skull injuries | |
| förfrysningar | ||
| benbrott, vrickningar | broken bones, twisted wrists, ankles etc. | |
| kallvattenchock | cold-water shock | |
| nedkylning | hypothermia | |
| uttröttning | exhaustion | |
| Islära | Ice science | |
| Vattnets egenskaper | Properties of water | |
| skiktning | layer formation | |
| sötvatten | fresh water | |
| saltvatten | salt water | |
| isläggning | ice formation | |
| vindbrunnar | "water-holes in the ice" | A special type of limited non-frozen area due to special conditions |
| strömmen | currents | |
| kärnis | solid ice | |
| snöis | "snow-ice" | Wet snow frozen to ice. |
| stöpis | "frozen soaked snow" slush-ice | Water-soaked snow frozen to ice. |
| havsis | sea ice | |
| istillväxt | ice formation | |
| isens bärighet | load-bearing capacity of ice | |
| vattenståndsändringar | changes in water-level | |
| sprickor | cracks | |
| vråkar | wide extensive cracks | These often extend right across a lake. |
| strandbräckor | cracks along the shore | |
| ränna | channel (made by boats or ships) | |
| bro | bridge | |
| vass | reeds | |
| udde | tongue of land | |
| grund | shallow area | |
| sjö | lake | |
| frånflöde | outflow | |
| tillflöde | inflow | |
| utsläpp, avlopp | releases, drainage | Such as from pipes from the shore. |
| brygga | jetty | |
| sund | narrows (straight) | |
| Åkteknik | Skating technique | |
| medvind | downwind | or with the wind |
| motvind | upwind | or against the wind |
| ojämna isar | uneven ice | |
| överis | "top-ice" | An extra ice layer on water lying over the main ice. |
| våris | "spring ice" | i.e. ice deteriorating due to warm weather (loose crystals, porosity) |
| En utfärd | An expedition, trip, outing | |
| ledare | leader | |
| köman köpersoner |
"sheep dog(s)" | i.e. the person(s) who skate(s) last in the group and keeps an eye on them |
| mötesplats | meeting place | |
| hyrd bus | chartered bus | |
| Kläder | Clothing | |
| jacka | jacket | |
| tröja | pullover | |
| underkläder | underclothes | |
| långkalsånger | long underpants | Popularly called "long johns" |
| sockor | thick woollen socks | |
| halsduk | scarf | |
| yllemössa | woolly hat | |
| keps | peaked cap | |
| vindtätt | wind-proof | |
| regntätt | rain-proof | |
| Väder | Weather | |
| frost, minusgrader | frost, temperatures above zero | |
| tö, plusgrader | temperature above zero | |
| sol | sun, sunshine | |
| moln, gråväder | clouds, cloudy weather | |
| kuling* | gale, gale force winds | Possibly related to Dutch koeling |
| storm | severe gale | |
| lugn | calm | |
| klar natt | clear night | |
| strålningsvärme | radiated heat | |
| snö, snöstorm, hagel | snow, snowstorm, hail | |
| åska, åskstorm | thunder, thunderstorm | |
*The aim with the notes (incomplete and inconsistent as they now are) is perhaps to give some guidance to those helping visitors to Sweden to understand the customs and terms used on the ice here.
Copyright (c): Christopher Wilson, Stockholm, February 1998.