Breakdown of Listin að skrifa vel tekur tíma og maður er lengi að læra skrautskriftina.
vera
to be
og
and
maðurinn
the man
vel
well
Questions & Answers about Listin að skrifa vel tekur tíma og maður er lengi að læra skrautskriftina.
In English, we say takes a long time to learn, but the Icelandic here is er lengi að læra. Could I just translate it as tekur langan tíma að læra?
While tekur langan tíma is understood, Icelandic strongly prefers the aspectual construction vera lengi að (literally to be a long time doing something) when describing a subject actively taking time to complete an action. Notice how the sentence uses tekur tíma for the abstract concept at the start, but switches to maður er lengi að when an active subject (maður) is doing the learning.
Why does Icelandic use að skrifa (to write) right after the noun Listin, instead of a preposition like of writing?
Icelandic does not have a direct equivalent to the English -ing gerund. To connect a noun with an action describing it (like the art of writing), you simply use the infinitive marker að followed by the verb in its infinitive form.
How does the compound word skrautskriftina break down?
It is made up of skraut (ornament, decoration) and skrift (writing or script). The -ina at the end is the attached definite article for a feminine accusative noun, giving us the calligraphy.
Is maður always translated as a man?
Not always! Here, maður is used as an impersonal pronoun, equivalent to the English one or the generic you. This is extremely common in everyday Icelandic to talk about people's general experiences.