Breakdown of Hann leitar að jaðrinum í langan tíma.
hann
he
í
in / into / to (before the hour, in telling time) / per (in frequency expressions)
tíminn
the time / the class (m) / the hour
langur
long
að
for (searching for)
leita
to search
jaðarinn
the fringe
Questions & Answers about Hann leitar að jaðrinum í langan tíma.
Why do we use the preposition að after leitar?
The verb leita (to search) pairs with the preposition að when you are searching for a specific thing. This fits the lesson's focus of directing your attention toward a target or abstract attachment. Because að always forces the following noun into the dative case, the object being searched for must be in the dative.
How does the dictionary word jaðar (fringe/edge) change into jaðrinum?
Jaðar is a masculine noun. Because it follows að, it must be in the dative case. First, the second 'a' drops out to make the dative form jaðri. Then, we add the masculine dative definite article -num to the end, giving us jaðrinum (the fringe).
Why is langan tíma in the accusative case here?
To express how long an action lasts (duration), Icelandic uses the preposition í followed by the accusative case. Tími (time) is a masculine noun, so it becomes tíma in the accusative, and the adjective langur (long) changes to match it as langan.
If he were searching a location (like a room) instead of looking for a target, would we still use að?
No, and that is an important difference! If you are searching a physical location (like searching a house or a forest), the verb leita takes the genitive case directly without að. But since his search is directed towards a specific target (the fringe), we must use að plus the dative.
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