Breakdown of Hann sleppti handfanginu og kaðlinum.
og
and
hann
he
sleppa
to let go, to escape / to avoid / get out of
kaðallinn
the rope (thick)
handfangið
the handle
Questions & Answers about Hann sleppti handfanginu og kaðlinum.
Why are both handfanginu and kaðlinum in the dative case here?
Because the verb sleppa governs the dative case when it means to let go of or to release something. When two nouns are joined by og (and) as the object of the same verb, they both must take the case that the verb requires.
Does the verb sleppa ever take the accusative case instead?
Yes, and the meaning completely changes! When sleppa governs the accusative case, it means to skip or to miss something, like skipping a class or missing a meal. Because the person here is physically releasing items from their grip, the dative is required.
What is the base form of kaðlinum, and why is the spelling slightly altered?
The base form is the masculine noun kaðall (rope). When we add the dative definite article -inum, the second a in the root drops out to make pronunciation easier. This makes it kaðlinum instead of the incorrect kaðallinum. This vowel-dropping happens in many Icelandic nouns ending in -all, -ill, or -ull.
How is the word handfanginu formed?
It comes from the neuter noun handfang (handle), which is a very literal compound of hönd (hand) and fang (grasp or catch). The ending -inu is the standard dative, singular, definite article for a neuter noun.
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