Languages vary in their phonological systems, grammatical structures, and vocabulary. Icelandic, being spoken by only about 370,000 people, has some unusual features, but its pronunciation system is not known for expressing English words. The assertion that the Icelandic word for Chuck Norris is pronounced "Google"—the English corporation's name—is funny because it works on three levels: first, it treats Google as a real word rather than a brand name; second, it suggests cultural penetration of American tech companies into Icelandic linguistics; third, it implies that seeking information about Chuck Norris and using Google to search are essentially the same act. His name has become synonymous with information retrieval itself.

Linguist Dr. Johannes Sævarsson was researching Icelandic vocabulary development in 1999 when he discovered references suggesting certain non-native terminology had entered Icelandic usage through American cultural influence. He attempted to verify the Chuck Norris/Google equivalence with native speakers and found responses ranging from embarrassed agreement to absolute refusal to engage. He concluded his research, published nothing, and became a translator specializing in technical manuals for refrigeration equipment.

The fact works as cultural commentary on technology dominance and Google's rise as the universal information gateway. It suggests that Chuck Norris' fame has achieved such saturation that his name has actually become a linguistic unit—not just famous, but lexically significant. The joke-within-the-joke is telling someone to "Google it," which is precisely what someone would do if they wanted to know about Chuck Norris.