Lærðra

Lærðra is the genitive plural form of the Icelandic adjective lærður, meaning “learned” or “educated.” It is used when the adjective modifies a masculine plural noun in the genitive case, typically in compound noun phrases.

In practice, lærðra appears in historical or literary Icelandic rather than everyday speech. A common construction is to pair it with a genitive noun to express “of the learned,” as in bókmenntir lærðra manna, which can be rendered in English as “the literature of learned men.” In this context, lærðra serves to qualify the following noun by indicating a group associated with learning or scholarship.

Morphology and formation: lærður is the base adjective meaning “learned.” Its genitive plural form is lærðra, used when describing a masculine plural noun in the genitive. The exact endings in Icelandic depend on gender, number, and case, and lærðra reflects the genitive plural used with a following noun such as manna (genitive of menn, “men”).

Historical and linguistic notes: The use of lærðra appears in older Icelandic texts, including sagas and scholarly writings, where it helps convey a sense of a group defined by learning. In modern Icelandic, speakers often use ander constructions or different word orders, but the genitive plural form remains a standard grammatical option in literary or formal contexts.

See also: Icelandic grammar, adjectives in Icelandic, learned (lærður), mans/plural noun inflection, historical Icelandic language.

Overall, lærðra functions as a grammatical marker within a specific genitive construction to denote association with learning, primarily found in historical or literary Icelandic usage.