Questions & Answers about Hvad vil folk sige?
Why use folk here instead of mennesker?
While both words translate to "people", mennesker refers to human beings as a species or to specific individuals. Folk is used to talk about people in general, society, or public opinion. The phrase hvad vil folk sige is a fixed expression referring to societal judgment or gossip.
Doesn't vil usually mean "want to"? How do we know it means "will" here?
You are right that vil often expresses a desire or intention to do something. However, it is also used as a modal auxiliary verb to indicate a predicted future outcome. Context is key: asking what the general public "wants to" say makes less sense here than predicting their future reaction, so it translates to "will".
How is sige typically pronounced in an everyday sentence like this?
In natural, spoken Danish, the -ge in sige is completely swallowed. It is pronounced simply as si. You will almost never hear the "g" or the final "e" sounded out in this word.
Why is folk indefinite here instead of using the definite form folket?
Just like in English, the sentence refers to people in a general, undefined sense, so it stays indefinite. If you used the definite form folket, it would specifically mean "the people" in a political, national, or demographic sense, which changes the meaning completely.