Breakdown of Vantraustið eyðileggur sambandið.
sambandið
the relationship
eyðileggja
to destroy
vantraustið
the distrust
Questions & Answers about Vantraustið eyðileggur sambandið.
How does the prefix van- work in the word vantraustið?
What is the literal breakdown of the verb eyðileggur?
It comes from the infinitive eyðileggja, which is a compound of eyði (wasteland or deserted place) and leggja (to lay or put). Literally, it means "to lay to waste", which translates as "to destroy". Notice that only the second half of the compound verb conjugates, giving us -leggur for the third-person singular.
Why are both vantraustið and sambandið written with the definite suffix -ið?
English often drops "the" for abstract concepts (saying just "Distrust destroys..."), but Icelandic frequently uses the definite suffix for abstract nouns when referring to a specific situation. Here, it emphasizes the specific distrust that is ruining the specific relationship.
What case is sambandið in, and why?
It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object receiving the action of the verb eyðileggja. However, because samband is a neuter noun, its accusative form is exactly the same as its nominative form, so the definite form looks identical (sambandið) in both cases.
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