Breakdown of At han slet ikke skammer sig over svinestregen!
han
he
at
that
over
about (after 'to wonder')
slet ikke
not at all
skamme sig
to be ashamed
svinestregen
the dirty trick
Questions & Answers about At han slet ikke skammer sig over svinestregen!
Why does this sentence start with At and lack a main clause entirely?
This is a standalone exclamatory at-clause. Danes use this structure to express a strong emotional stance, such as indignation, disbelief, or shock. It acts as if an invisible main clause like 'I can't believe...' or 'It is outrageous...' has been dropped, leaving only the reaction itself.
Why does slet ikke come before the verb skammer?
Because the sentence begins with At, it is grammatically a subordinate clause and must follow subordinate word order. In Danish subordinate clauses, central adverbs like slet ikke must be placed before the verb, whereas in a normal main clause it would be 'Han skammer sig slet ikke'.
Is at skamme sig always used with the preposition over?
Yes, when you want to specify what someone is ashamed of, you use over. The verb is inherently reflexive, so it always requires a pronoun that matches the subject, which is sig for han, followed by over before the object causing the shame.
How does the word svinestregen break down?
It is a definite noun made of two parts: svine meaning pig or swine, and stregen meaning the line or the trick. In Danish, combining svine with another word often adds the meaning of something dirty, rotten, or mean, making a svinestreg a particularly nasty or deceitful trick.
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