Breakdown of Hún segir að þessi sjálfsvitund skemmi fyrir sér.
hún
she
þessi
this (m/f)
sig
himself/herself/themselves (acc)
að
that (conjunction)
fyrir
for (on someone's behalf; as in "thanks for")
segja
to say
skemma
to ruin
sjálfsvitundin
the self-awareness
Questions & Answers about Hún segir að þessi sjálfsvitund skemmi fyrir sér.
Why is sér used here instead of henni?
This is a classic example of long-distance reflexivization. In reported speech introduced by verbs like segja (to say), the reflexive pronoun sér in the subordinate clause refers all the way back to the subject of the main clause (Hún). If we used the regular pronoun henni, it would mean the self-awareness is ruining things for some other woman.
Why is the verb skemmi in the subjunctive rather than the indicative skemmir?
skemmi is the present subjunctive form of skemma (to ruin). We use the subjunctive here because the clause is indirect speech (reporting what someone said) following segja að. The subjunctive is frequently used in Icelandic to indicate that you are reporting someone else's thoughts or words, distancing the speaker from the claim.
What does the phrase skemma fyrir mean in this context?
The phrase skemma fyrir einhverjum literally translates to 'to ruin for someone', but it is a common idiom meaning 'to be a detriment to', 'to hold back', or 'to sabotage'. In this sentence, her self-awareness is getting in her own way.
Why is the reflexive pronoun in the dative case (sér)?
The preposition fyrir governs the dative case when it expresses who is affected by an action, such as doing something 'for' or 'to the detriment of' someone. Since the phrase is skemma fyrir, the pronoun must be the dative sér rather than the accusative sig.
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