Breakdown of Hann er skákmaður djúprar rökhugsunar.
vera
to be
hann
he
djúpur
deep
skákmaðurinn
the chess player
Questions & Answers about Hann er skákmaður djúprar rökhugsunar.
Why is djúprar rökhugsunar in the genitive case here?
This is a classic example of the genitive of description (often called the eiginleikaeignarfall). Instead of using a preposition, Icelandic can use a noun phrase in the genitive case to describe an inherent quality, trait, or characteristic of a person or object. Here, it defines exactly what kind of intellect the chess player possesses.
Is using the genitive of description common in everyday speech, or does it sound formal?
It generally leans toward the formal, literary, or poetic side. In casual conversation, it is much more common to use the preposition með (with) followed by the accusative case, as in: Hann er skákmaður með djúpa rökhugsun. Using the genitive elevates the tone of the sentence, which fits perfectly when praising someone's deep intellect.
How do we figure out the correct genitive endings for djúprar rökhugsunar?
The noun hugsun (thinking) ends in -un, which is a very reliable sign that it is a feminine noun. In the genitive singular, feminine nouns ending in -un usually take an -ar ending, becoming hugsunar. The adjective djúpur (deep) must agree with it in gender, number, and case, which gives us the feminine genitive singular form djúprar.
How is the compound word rökhugsun built?