Breakdown of Skyrtan var handónýt hvort eð er.
vera
to be
skyrtan
the shirt
handónýtur
completely ruined
hvort eð er
anyway
Questions & Answers about Skyrtan var handónýt hvort eð er.
What is the literal translation of hvort eð er?
It translates literally to something like 'whichever it is' or 'whether that is'. The word hvort means 'whether' or 'which of two', eð is an archaic relative particle meaning 'that' or 'which', and er is 'is'. As a fixed phrase, it means 'anyway' or 'in any case'.
Can I place hvort eð er at the beginning of the sentence?
No, placing it at the beginning sounds unnatural. Just like 'anyway' in English, hvort eð er almost always belongs at the very end of the sentence or clause.
What does the prefix hand- add to the word handónýt?
The base adjective is ónýtur (useless or ruined). The prefix hand- acts as an intensifier meaning 'completely' or 'utterly'. It is only used with a handful of specific adjectives to make them stronger, like in handviss (absolutely certain) or here in handónýt (completely ruined).
Why doesn't the adjective handónýt end in -ur?
Adjectives must agree with the noun they describe. Skyrtan (the shirt) is a feminine noun. Since it is in the nominative singular case here, the masculine dictionary form handónýtur drops the -ur ending to become the feminine handónýt.