In art conservation, assessing damage is rarely black and white. A canvas might be partially saved or largely irreparable. To express the degree or extent to which something is true, Icelandic uses a fixed prepositional phrase based on the noun leyti.
The "að ... leyti" Frame
To say "to a [blank] extent" or "in [blank] respect," Icelandic combines the preposition að, an adjective, and the noun leyti.
Because the preposition að always governs the dative case, and leyti is a neuter noun, any adjective or pronoun placed between them must take its dative neuter form.
| Adjective / Pronoun | Dative Neuter | Phrase | Meaning |
|---|
| mikill | miklu | að miklu leyti | to a large extent, largely |
| verulegur | verulegu | að verulegu leyti | to a significant extent |
| allur | öllu | að öllu leyti | in every respect, completely |
| enginn | engu | að engu leyti | in no respect, not at all |
| einhver | einhverju | að einhverju leyti | to some extent |
| nokkur | nokkru | að nokkru leyti | to any extent |
| lítill | litlu | að litlu leyti | to a small extent |
These phrases act as adverbs in the sentence, usually appearing right after the main verb or auxiliary verb.
Large and Significant Extents
Use miklu or verulegu when a painting is mostly repaired or severely damaged.
All or Nothing
When discussing whether an artwork is a flawless restoration or a complete forgery, you can speak in absolutes using öllu or engu.
Partial and Uncertain Extents
For minor fading, partial damage, or asking open questions, use litlu, einhverju, or nokkru.