Breakdown of Við ætlum að tína skeljar einhvers staðar á ströndinni.
við
we
að
to (infinitive marker)
á
onto / on / in (static location) / on (a day of the week)
ætla
to intend
Questions & Answers about Við ætlum að tína skeljar einhvers staðar á ströndinni.
How exactly does the phrase einhvers staðar translate to "somewhere"?
It is a fixed phrase that literally means "of some place." Both words are in the genitive case: einhvers (from the pronoun einhver) and staðar (from the noun staður). You use this specific phrase because the action of picking shells happens at a static location. If you were talking about moving towards a destination, you would use a directional word instead.
Why do we use the verb tína for picking shells instead of safna (to collect)?
The verb tína is specifically used for gathering small things one by one from nature. It is the standard verb for picking berries, mushrooms, flowers, and in this case, shells. Safna implies building up a collection over time or hoarding things (like collecting stamps or saving money).
Why is ströndinni in the dative case after the preposition á?
The preposition á takes the dative case when it describes a static location (answering the question "where?"). Even though the people are moving around to pick shells, the entire activity is contained within the boundaries of the beach. If the sentence meant they were traveling onto the beach from the parking lot, á would trigger the accusative case.
Could I say á einhverri strönd instead of einhvers staðar á ströndinni?