A4-liv

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

A4 +‎ liv, first part is a colloquial way of describing something typical or expected. Last part from Old Norse líf (“life”), from Proto-Germanic *lībą (“body, life”), likely derived from *lībaną (“to remain, be left”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *leyp- (“to stick; fat or stick substance”), from *ley-, *(s)ley- (“to slip, slide, glide; slimy”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑːfiːrəliːʋ/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iːʋ
• Hyphenation: A‧4‧liv

Noun

A4-liv n (definite singular A4-livet, indefinite plural A4-liv, definite plural A4-liva or A4-livene)

1. a person's life that's lived exactly as society would expect, with all that's expected and nothing outside the norm
   • 2009, Kjetil Stensvik Østli, Politi og røver:

     i årevis har kjeltringene snakket med forakt om «a4-livet.» A4 er et fengsel og alt det der

     for years, the thugs have spoken with contempt about "a4 life." A4 is a prison and all that

   • 1999, Cathrine Sandnes, Matriark, page 81:

     plutselig ville jeg sitte i saksa uten engang å kunne skryte på meg et A4-liv. Å si at man lever A3, er ikke like imponerende

     suddenly I wanted to sit in the scissors without even being able to brag about an A4 life. To say that you live A3 is not as impressive

Related terms

• A4-menneske (“an average person”)

References

• “A4-liv” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• “A4_2” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From A4 +‎ liv.

Noun

A4-liv n (definite singular A4-livet, indefinite plural A4-liv, definite plural A4-liva)

1. A person's life that's lived exactly as society would expect, with all that's expected and nothing outside the norm.