Breakdown of Hún axlar ábyrgðina og fyrirgefur sjálfri sér eftir slysið.
og
and
hún
she
fyrirgefa
to forgive
sig
himself/herself/themselves (acc)
eftir
after / for (waiting for)
slysið
the accident
sjálfur
self, oneself
ábyrgðin
the responsibility
axla
to shoulder
Questions & Answers about Hún axlar ábyrgðina og fyrirgefur sjálfri sér eftir slysið.
Why do we use sjálfri sér here instead of just sér?
While Hún fyrirgefur sér is grammatically correct and means 'She forgives herself,' adding the emphatic pronoun sjálfri stresses that she is forgiving herself specifically. It highlights the internal nature of the action and adds emotional weight.
Why is sjálfur in the form sjálfri here?
The word sjálfur must agree in gender, number, and case with the pronoun it emphasizes. Because the subject Hún is feminine singular, and the verb fyrirgefa requires the dative case for the person being forgiven, we need the feminine singular dative form: sjálfri.
Why is the reflexive pronoun in the dative case (sér) instead of accusative (sig)?
The verb fyrirgefa (to forgive) dictates the case of its objects. It always takes the dative case for the person receiving the forgiveness. Therefore, the reflexive pronoun must be the dative sér.
Does axla ábyrgðina translate word-for-word to 'shoulder the responsibility'?
Yes! Just like in English, the verb að axla comes from the noun for shoulder (öxl). It is used figuratively in Icelandic exactly as it is in English to mean taking on a heavy burden or responsibility (ábyrgð).
Why is slysið in the accusative case after eftir?
The preposition eftir governs different cases depending on its meaning. When it means 'after' in terms of time, it takes the accusative case. If it meant 'along' or 'chasing,' it would take the dative.
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