Breakdown of Troðningurinn veldur manni alltaf pirringi.
alltaf
always
maður
one (impersonal pronoun)
valda
to cause
troðningurinn
the crush
Questions & Answers about Troðningurinn veldur manni alltaf pirringi.
Why do we use manni instead of maður here?
Manni is the dative form of the impersonal pronoun maður (meaning "one"). It is in the dative case here because the verb valda (to cause) governs the dative for the person being affected.
Are both manni and pirringi in the dative case?
Yes, they are! The verb valda takes two dative objects: the person you cause something to (manni) and the thing you cause (pirringi, from the nominative noun pirringur, meaning irritation).
Can I translate manni literally as "a man" in this sentence?
Grammatically you could, but in everyday Icelandic, using maður (and its oblique forms mann, manni, manns) is the standard way to say "one", "you", or "people in general." Translating it as "causes a man irritation" sounds unnatural and misses the impersonal meaning intended here.
What is the root of the word troðningurinn?
It comes from the masculine noun troðningur, which means a crush, crowding, or trampling of people. This is related to the verb troða (to stuff, cram, or tread). The -inn at the end is just the attached definite article.