Learn Icelandic: Þetta handverk elskar glerblásarinn. - This craft, the glassblower loves.

This is an example of topicalization, the focus of this lesson. By moving the direct object Þetta handverk to the front, the speaker emphasizes it. Because Icelandic is a strict V2 (verb-second) language, the verb elskar must stay in the second position, forcing the subject glerblásarinn to move after it.

Since Þetta handverk is neuter, its nominative and accusative forms are identical. How can we tell it is the object and not the subject?

We look at the other noun. glerblásarinn is masculine and has the definite nominative ending -inn. Because it is unambiguously the subject, Þetta handverk must be the accusative direct object. If the glassblower were the object, it would be in the accusative case as glerblásarann.

How would this sentence look if we used standard word order instead of topicalizing the object?

It would be Glerblásarinn elskar þetta handverk. The core meaning is exactly the same, but it loses the special contrastive focus on the craft.

How does the compound word glerblásarinn break down?

It is made of gler (glass) and blásari (blower, from the verb að blása, to blow). The suffix -nn is the attached masculine definite article, making it 'the glassblower'.