Breakdown of Deilan er um svæðið innan lóðamarkanna.
vera
to be
um
about
svæðið
the area
innan
inside, within (+ genitive)
lóðamörkin
the property lines
deilan
the dispute
Questions & Answers about Deilan er um svæðið innan lóðamarkanna.
Why is lóðamarkanna in the genitive case?
It is the object of the preposition innan (within). Spatial prepositions ending in -an, such as innan, utan, ofan, and neðan, govern the genitive case.
How does the word lóðamarkanna break down, and why does it have an "a" instead of an "ö"?
It is a compound of lóð (property/lot) and mörk (borders/boundaries, a neuter plural noun). The genitive plural of mörk is marka. The "ö" reverts to an "a" because the genitive ending doesn't trigger U-mutation. Adding the definite article suffix -nna gives us lóðamarkanna.
Why is svæðið in the accusative case rather than dative, since it is a physical location?
Because it is governed by the preposition um (about), which always takes the accusative when discussing what a topic or dispute is about. The location aspect is handled entirely by the second part of the sentence (innan lóðamarkanna).
Could we use í or á instead of innan in this sentence?
Not naturally. The word innan specifically emphasizes being legally or physically enclosed within the boundaries of the property lines. You cannot easily be "in" or "on" a boundary line in this context, making innan the most precise choice.
Learn Deilan er um svæðið innan lóðamarkanna and more in Icelandic
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free