Breakdown of Annars vegar elskum við þægindin hér, hins vegar er mikill skarkali.
vera
to be
hér
here
við
we
elska
to love
mikill
great, much (adjective: snjórinn er mikill)
hins vegar
on the other hand
annars vegar
on the one hand
þægindin
the comforts
skarkalinn
the bustle
Questions & Answers about Annars vegar elskum við þægindin hér, hins vegar er mikill skarkali.
Why do the verbs elskum and er immediately follow annars vegar and hins vegar?
In Icelandic, annars vegar and hins vegar act as adverbial phrases occupying the first position in their respective clauses. Because Icelandic is a strict V2 (verb-second) language, the verb must immediately follow these phrases. That is why we see Annars vegar elskum við... (verb then subject) instead of matching the English word order.
Why is þægindin in the plural form here?
The noun þægindi (comfort, convenience) is a neuter plural word in Icelandic. While English often uses 'comfort' as an uncountable singular noun, Icelandic uses the plural form to refer to general comforts, amenities, or conveniences. Here, the attached -n makes it the definite plural ('the comforts').
What exactly is the nuance of skarkali compared to standard words for 'noise'?
Skarkali refers specifically to a loud, chaotic noise, clatter, or bustling din. It is often associated with the commotion of city life, traffic, or crowds. It carries more of a 'bustle and commotion' feeling than a generic word for noise like hávaði.
Why does the sentence use mikill with skarkali instead of the common word mikið?
Skarkali is a masculine noun. The adjective mikill (much or a lot of) must agree with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case. Therefore, it takes the masculine nominative singular form mikill, rather than the neuter form mikið that learners often default to.
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