Pff, Oisín, it seems like you know everything c:
Yes, I am from Holland and in the second year of secondary school with Greek and Latin. Thanks for clearing this up :) Let's get some learn-Icelandic-books then ;)
Anyone speak Icelandic?
(211 posts) (44 voices)-
Posted 5 months ago #
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emphasis on the "at least somewhat" !!
Posted 5 months ago # -
Just entering the land of Icelandic nouns and adjectives in my book... The next whole lesson is devoted entirely to adjective cases. Seems a bit trepidating!! =/
Posted 5 months ago # -
Probably, but necessary.
If you haven’t reached that part yet, I can inform you that adjectives in Icelandic (as well as in all the Germanic languages, at least originally) can be said to have not just the regular four cases, but a total of eight cases. This is because adjectives all have both a strong and a weak form, depending on what they’re qualifying.
Thankfully, though, in the weak forms, the case forms are largely syncretic, so it’s not quite as bad as it sounds. :-)
Posted 5 months ago # -
I really wish there was a good iPad app for Icelandic.
Posted 5 months ago # -
No, I'm not quite there yet - it's lesson 4, and I'm in the midst of lesson 3 right now where it's hitting nouns and just a simple introduction to adjectives. Definitely necessary I'm sure, but looks so scary!! I think lesson 4 only has the four cases, though. Not sure if it hits the weak forms later. French is so much simpler!! I love the book, though - lots of vocab. Beginner's Icelandic by Helga Hilmisdottir for anyone interested.
Posted 5 months ago # -
^I liked that too, especially when used in conjunction with Háskóli Íslands website. When I got to the end, I wanted an in-depth, comprehensive grammar explanation, so I got this mamma jamma: http://www.amazon.com/Icelandic-Grammar-Glossary-Stefan-Einarsson/dp/0801863570
And OH BOY is it ever comprehensive. The text is really old, and a bit out of date. But it's like having Oisín in book form.
Posted 5 months ago # -
Some would argue that I am in book form. :-þ
Incidentally, if anyone’s interested, I have a PDF of Jón Friðjónsson’s A Course in Modern Icelandic (1978) that I just remembered. If I recall correctly, it’s quite comprehensive and thorough in terms of grammar, and it has translation and grammar exercises.
Posted 5 months ago # -
well Oisín, your name does refer to the god who freed people from their barbaric chaos and brought them to an orderly civilisation ~ also the key to the gates of heaven ;D
Posted 5 months ago # -
I would dig a copy of that Oisín. Like I said, I've been looking for something to have when I'm travelling to study, since the online course is done with Flash, and my iPad doesn't like that.
Posted 5 months ago # -
I would love a copy of that too, thanks Oisín. roseganley@gmail.com
Posted 5 months ago # -
I would, too, Oisin!! I want in-depth. This book is just beginner's, and I've been wondering what to do whenever I get it done. I'm sure there's a lot it misses. andrea_m@westvirginia.usa.com
rosega - I've looked at that book at amazon and have been wondering about it. So it's pretty comprehensive then?? May have to get it...
Posted 5 months ago # -
I don’t even feel too guilty about sharing this, ’cause it’s been out of print and pretty much un-get-a-hold-of-able for over a decade. :-)
Posted 5 months ago # -
Thankya sir!
Posted 5 months ago # -
Andrea, if you want to borrow mine I'm more than happy to send it your way! Keep it for as long as you like, just mail it back when you're done. It's just sitting in my bookcase collecting dust right now.
Thanks Oisín! I haven't picked up anything Icelandic since I got back from Italy two months ago (!?!), so hopefully this lights a fire under me.
Posted 5 months ago # -
Thanks - looks wonderful!! I like a lot of exercises - I learn best by writing. Seems to make it stick better for me.
rosega- That would be great!! I'd really appreciate that. Do you still have my address from the gift exchange?? If you need it again I could send it to you via facebook message or your e-mail... I'd send it back - no worries. I hate loaning out books and you don't get them back. =/
Posted 5 months ago # -
Oh, I'm a complete loser and missed this post until just now! Sorry Andrea!!! I do still have your address, and I will send it your way today :) No hurry returning it, like I said I'm not using it at the moment. So take your time and enjoy it!
Also, I love the Jón Freðjónsson book, but there's no answer key :( It's ok for now, where all I have to do to check my work is look up a noun's gender or something, but I see it getting more difficult further down the line, especially with the translations. Would anyone like to work together on it? I was thinking maybe check in by email every couple weeks and compare notes.
Posted 5 months ago # -
Thanks rosega - looking forward to it!! I'll take care of it - no worries. I've pretty much got my own library here at home - I don't even go anymore. I have a great love and respect for books, so all will be well. =) I'm just so terribly slow with my studies - a little here, a little there, but I'll be reasonable and not keep it for ages. =) And oh no!! An answer key is a great help!! I haven't even started that, though. I want to get a new ink cartridge expressly for printing out the whole book. I don't like working off the computer. I usually do my studying sitting in bed while my son is at school, pile of books beside me and a cup of hot tea. Pretty much the daily routine for 3 or 4 hours. My house is a mess because of it, too!! My friend from CA calls it "skewwed priorities."
Posted 4 months ago # -
Crap, I just realized that I sent you the wrong book D: I'm a moron, I've sent you the book you already have!
Jæja, just ignore that package! If you don't mind just hide that one away in a dark corner, and send them back together whenever you're done. I can't believe I did that, literally like an hour ago. Oh well, the USPS needs all the help it can get, right? Ha! I'll try it again tomorrow :)Posted 4 months ago # -
No problem... =)
Posted 4 months ago # -
poops, I have a question:
On chapter 3 of the Friðjónsson book, and they mention that feminine nouns of the type (-ar/-ur, -ur) (what they FS3) have the following vowel alteration:
strönd --> strandar, strendur
tönn --> tannar, tennurThat makes sense to me. Then they say that mjólk follows this pattern as well. I was wondering, would that be malkar, melkur? That looks funny to me...
Also, how does the vert aka decline? Is it ek, ekur, ekur, akum, akið, aka?
I know I should be focusing on the bigger picture, but when I run into something that I'm not sure I'm following it bugs me. Thank you!
Posted 4 months ago # -
@rosega, mjólk follows: mjólk, mjólk and mjólkur.
Only when containing an ö the word changes with an a and e. Aka follows: ek, ekur, ekur, ökum, akið, aka.Posted 4 months ago # -
Ah thank you kindly pjarki! I thought that mjolk looked wrong!
Posted 4 months ago # -
anytime! :-)
Posted 4 months ago # -
Remember that ö is the u-umlauted form of a.
These feminine nouns used (in very old Old Norse and pre-Old Norse) to end in a -u (so ströndu instead of just strönd), which is why they have ö in the nominative to begin with.
Ó, however, is never an underlying a; it only alternates with æ (i-umlaut, as in bók/bækur). And in this case, it’s not even really ó, but jó (which is a different kettle of fish that can alternate with ý in some cases).
Posted 4 months ago # -
Right, that's why I was a bit confused when the book said that mjolk followed the same trend as strond and tonn, but I think now that the author meant that they all end in -ur in the nominative plural. It was just a slightly confusing sentence order, I think.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Would anyone be interested in "grading" my work from the Friðjónsson book, essentially? Not every single exercise, just maybe 1/3 of them? I would be more than happy to work out some kind of payment and schedule. I'm taking my time with this, so I complete a chapter every 2-ish weeks. I'm sure that will slow down as it gets harder, too. roseganley@gmail.com if you're interested
Posted 3 months ago # -
@rosega, I'd love to "grade" your work. It would be a great opportunity for me to practice my Icelandic even further, and I'd say I already speak it somewhat nearly fluently so I'm pretty sure I'd manage. But the thing is that I am 15, and I do TOTALLY understand if you don't trust my help. I wouldn't trust a 15-year old, ha! Especially not if this is something that you'll be using seriously in any university or other studies/contexts. And of course, I would NOT want any payment - it would just be by practicing interest and fun.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Dear Grammar Gurus,
I am on Chapter 5 of the Friðjónsson book, and am getting hung up on appositive adjectives. I can't find a clear explanation of what these are, most of the definitions of appositions I find say that the two words/clauses should be of the same type, i.e. both nouns. From what I've read, it's my understanding that an apposition is another way to describe the same thing, like "Rose, the student" for example.
What I'm trying to grasp is when to use different combinations of weak or strong adjectives with or with out definitiveness.Noun w/ definite article or possessive = weak
Comparison + def art in substantive = weak
Predictive (something IS someway) = strong
Attributive + substantive w/o def art = strong
Appositive + substantive w/ def art = strongBut I'm not really sure what an appositive use of an adjective is :/
Posted 3 months ago # -
@rosega, an appositive adjective is like "extra information". Rose, the student would be "Rose, neminn". Note that -inn in this shows that it's -that- specific student (from nemi, unspecific student in nefnifall <nominative>).
Posted 3 months ago #
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