Breakdown of Skotmaðurinn miðar fjær trénu.
tréð
the tree
skotmaðurinn
the shooter
miða
to aim (point at a target)
fjær
further from
Questions & Answers about Skotmaðurinn miðar fjær trénu.
Why is trénu in the dative case here even though there is no preposition?
The comparative adverb fjær (further from) directly governs the dative case. Just like its opposite nær (closer to), it can take a bare dative object without needing a preposition.
Doesn't saying 'far from' usually require the preposition frá?
Yes, when expressing 'far from' in the base degree, you usually say langt frá. However, the comparative form fjær (and the superlative fjærst) has a special grammatical property where it drops the preposition and dictates the dative case all on its own.
Is the verb miðar related to words like miðbær (city center)?
Exactly. The verb miða (to aim) is derived from the noun mið, which means the middle, center, or a target mark. When the shooter aims, they are literally aligning with a target center.
Why is the definite article suffix -nu instead of -inu on trénu?
The word tré is a neuter noun that already ends in a vowel. When attaching the dative singular definite article to a vowel-ending neuter noun, the 'i' in the standard suffix -inu is dropped, leaving just -nu.
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