Questions & Answers about Örin er nær skotmarkinu.
Why doesn't this sentence use a preposition like að for 'to the target'?
The comparative word nær (closer) directly governs the dative case all on its own. You don't need a preposition like að; you just put the object (skotmarkinu) immediately after nær in the dative. The same rule applies to its opposite, fjær (further from).
Is nær an adjective describing örin, and if so, why doesn't it match its feminine gender?
nær functions as a comparative here, but spatial comparatives like nær (closer) and fjær (further) are undeclinable. They have the same form regardless of the gender or number of the noun they refer to.
What is the base form of nær, and how does it compare?
The base (positive) form is nærri (near). The full grading is nærri (near), nær (closer), and næst (closest). All three of these forms can govern a dative object directly.
How do we get the form skotmarkinu from the dictionary form?
The dictionary form is the neuter noun skotmark (target), which literally means 'shot-mark'. Because nær forces it into the dative case, it becomes skotmarki. Then, we add the suffixed neuter dative definite article -nu to mean 'the' target, resulting in skotmarkinu.
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