Breakdown of Pour impitoyable que soit la banquise, ils la traversent.
être
to be
ils
they (masculine/mixed)
traverser
to cross
la
her, it (feminine direct object pronoun)
Questions & Answers about Pour impitoyable que soit la banquise, ils la traversent.
How does pour translate to "however" in this sentence?
Why are the verb and subject swapped in soit la banquise?
When the subject is a noun (like la banquise), it is standard and elegant to invert it with the verb in this construction. While pour impitoyable que la banquise soit isn't strictly wrong, the inverted form is highly preferred. However, if the subject were a pronoun, you would keep normal word order: pour impitoyable qu'elle soit.
Does this structure always require the subjunctive (soit)?
Yes, the pour [adjectif] que structure always triggers the subjunctive. Even though the ice being unforgiving is a true fact here, concessive expressions (like bien que or quoique) use the subjunctive because they set up an unexpected contrast rather than just stating a standalone fact.
Is impitoyable related to the French word for "pity"?
Exactly! It is built from the noun pitié (pity). With the negative prefix im- and the suffix -able, it translates literally to "un-pity-able" which gives us merciless, ruthless, or in the case of extreme weather, unforgiving.