Question 1

Why use þaðan sem instead of just þar sem for 'where'?

Accepted Answer

Because the birds are flying away from the island. Þar sem means 'where' for a stationary location, but þaðan sem specifically means 'from where'. Since the birds' flying implies movement away from the location, we must use the directional word þaðan.

Question 2

Why is the word for island eyjunnar here instead of eyjuna?

Accepted Answer

The preposition til (to) always forces the following noun into the genitive case. The base feminine word eyja (island) becomes eyju in the genitive, and adding the definite article for 'the' makes it eyjunnar.

Question 3

What does the sem actually do in þaðan sem?

Accepted Answer

By itself, þaðan just means 'from there' (a simple adverb). Adding the relative particle sem turns it into a relative clause that connects two ideas. Literally, þaðan sem translates to 'from there that', which we express as 'from where' in English.

Question 4

If I wanted to say we sail to the island 'to where' the birds fly, how would this change?

Accepted Answer

You would swap out þaðan sem (from where) for the other directional relative phrase you are learning, þangað sem (to where). The second half of the sentence would become þangað sem fuglarnir fljúga, meaning the birds are heading to the exact same place you are.

Við siglum til eyjunnar, þaðan sem fuglarnir fljúga.

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