Question 1

Why do we use þessari here instead of the basic form þessi?

Accepted Answer

The phrase á móti (against) always forces the following words into the dative case. Because the word for idea, hugmynd, is a feminine noun, the demonstrative pronoun þessi (this) changes to its feminine dative form, which is þessari.

Question 2

I thought nouns usually change their endings in the dative case. Why is hugmynd still just hugmynd?

Accepted Answer

Some feminine nouns in Icelandic do not change their endings in the accusative or dative singular forms. hugmynd is one of these words, so it looks exactly the same here as it does in the dictionary. You can only tell it is in the dative case because of the word þessari right before it!

Question 3

Does á móti only mean against in the sense of disagreeing with something?

Accepted Answer

Not always! While it means being opposed to something in this sentence, á móti can also mean physically opposite or across from something. For example, if you say a building is á móti a bank, you mean it is situated directly across the street from the bank.

Question 4

Could I use mjög (very) instead of alveg here?

Accepted Answer

In Icelandic, you do not usually say you are very against something. Just like in English, it sounds much more natural to say you are completely or totally against it. The word alveg captures this perfectly.

Ég er alveg á móti þessari hugmynd.

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