Haukur

Your explanation makes sense. Thanks

Kveðja
Alan

-----Original Message-----
From: norse_course@yahoogroups.com [mailto:norse_course@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Haukur Þorgeirsson
Sent: Saturday, 7 May 2005 12:43 AM
To: norse_course@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [norse_course] Re: [norse _course] Nú brýtr þú ok týnir skipinu
ok fénu

> Unfortunately, not so clear to me but then I´m not so bright:(
> What is the nom pl neut of 'hættr'? I could only imagine it being the
> same as the nom sg neut and since the subject of the sentence 'øroefi'
> is nom pl (as shown by 'eru') thought the adjective must agree with

the

> subject. Are you saying that, despite this, the 'hætt skipum' phrase

is

> an example of the impersonal phrase 'e-m er hætt við e-u' which Zöega
> glosses as 'someone is in danger of something'? Gordon gives the

example

> 'hlífum hætt' - 'destructive to shields' which to me is not

necessarily

> an impersonal construction.

I see your point but I think I'm correct in
interpreting this as, essentially, two sentences:

eru víða øroefi - there are widely open coasts
ok - and
hætt [er] skipum - ships are in danger

If we changed this string of words to omit the 'ok' I think
we would get the grammar and the meaning you had in mind:

"Eru víða øroefi hætt skipum."
- There are widely open coasts dangerous to ships.

This is quite subtle now that I start thinking about it :)

Kveðja,
Haukur




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