--- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, "llama_nom" <600cell@...> wrote:
>
> We had a discussion here recently about the complications of
saying "I like" in Icelandic [
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/norse_course/message/7913 ].
I missed this. An interesting sidenote here about the verb 'langa':
'The verb langa has a personal construction: til slícs fagnaþar
scylde hveR maþr langa 27r20 (Hómilíubók), 31v13, etc.' (Van Weenen,
Icelandic Homily Book). I'm not sure if there are any parallel
obsolete usages of 'líka', but **mér líkar hangikjöt won't work in
Modern Icelandic. I can't explain why this is so - for some reason it
breaks with inherited usage-tradition. Interestingly, the verb
mirrors Modern English usage in the mainland Scandinavian languages
(for example, eg likar hangekjot, Modern Norwegian). It could just be
English influence, but I'm not sure. In my opinion, the contructions
'mér líkar vel/illa við hangikjöt/eitthvað/einhvern'
(something/someone) are very good, classic modern usage, whatever the
history. But if I ever run across archaic or obsolete usages
of 'líka', I'll rememeber to post them here for discussion ;)
Regards,
Konrad
> I wonder if this sentence could be amended to:
>
> Mér þykkir gaman at ganga á nóttum.
>
> Compare Ögmundar þáttr dytts: mér þykkir gaman at hafa hálflit klæði
> "I like to wear / enjoy wearing clothes of two colours."
>
>
> --- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, "llama_nom" <600cell@> wrote:
> >
> > --- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, "Stridmann" <stridmann@>
wrote:
> > >
> > > > > 'elska at...' Is it possible that this is a modernism?
> > > > This is very recent usage, totally anachronistic.
> > >
> > > I've found such exaples:
> > >
> > > "...elskaði hún hann mjög..." (EYRBYGGJA SAGA)
> > > "...Signý elskaði hann..." (HRANA SAGA HRINGS)
> > > "Haraldur konungur elskaði mjög Íslendinga." (SNEGLU-HALLA
ÞÁTTUR)
> >
> > Hi Tim,
> >
> > Sorry, I didn't really explain clearly enough what I meant. The
difference is that in each of these examples, the complement/object of
the verb is a noun. This is perfectly normal in Old Icelandic; most,
though not all, of the examples I saw had an animate noun as the
complement, as in these three examples. The anachronism is the use of
'elska' with a clausal complement such as 'at ganga náttliga' to
describe an action which the subject of the verb 'elska' "likes/loves
to do".
> >
> > LN
> >
>