Breakdown of Þurrkunin hefst að því gefnu að rakamælingin sýni raka.
hefjast
to begin
sýna
to show
raki
the dampness
rakamælingin
the moisture measurement
Questions & Answers about Þurrkunin hefst að því gefnu að rakamælingin sýni raka.
What does að því gefnu að mean? Is it a fixed expression?
Yes. Að því gefnu að is a set phrase meaning provided that, given that, or on the condition that.
It is fairly formal and is common in written or technical language. In everyday speech, Icelandic often uses simpler wording such as ef for if.
So in this sentence, it introduces the condition under which the drying begins.
Why is að used twice in að því gefnu að?
Because the two að words are doing different jobs.
- The first að is part of the fixed expression að því gefnu
- The second að is the conjunction that, introducing the subordinate clause
So the structure is roughly:
- að því gefnu = given that / on that condition
- að rakamælingin sýni raka = that the moisture measurement shows moisture
This double að is completely normal in Icelandic in this expression.
What verb is hefst, and why does it end in -st?