Breakdown of Under tiden dånade tydligen musiken på.
tiden
the time
musiken
the music
under
during
tydligen
apparently
på
on (continuative aspectual particle)
dåna
to boom
Questions & Answers about Under tiden dånade tydligen musiken på.
Why does the subject musiken come after the sentence adverb tydligen here?
Because this sentence starts with the time phrase Under tiden, the verb dånade must come second to satisfy the V2 rule. When the subject and verb invert like this, a heavier noun subject like musiken often drops behind a sentence adverb like tydligen. If the subject were a simple, unstressed pronoun, it would come before the adverb: Under tiden dånade den tydligen på.
What is the purpose of på at the end of the sentence?
Here, på functions as a verbal particle that adds the meaning of continuous, uninterrupted action. Just like in English (e.g., to play on, to drive on), adding på to verbs like dåna (to boom) or köra (to drive) means the action just kept going. Therefore, dånade på means the music kept on booming.
What exactly does the verb att dåna mean?
Att dåna translates to to roar, to thunder, or to boom. It describes a deep, loud, and continuous noise. You will frequently hear it used for heavy thunder (åskan dånar), large waterfalls, roaring engines, or, as in this sentence, very loud music.
If I did not start the sentence with Under tiden, what would the word order be?
If you start with the subject, the sentence follows standard Subject-Verb-Adverb order. It would be: Musiken dånade tydligen på under tiden. Because the subject is in the first position here, the rule about placing it before or after tydligen no longer applies.
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