Setningunni

Setningunni is the definite singular dative form of the Icelandic noun setning, which means sentence. It occurs when referring to a specific sentence in contexts that require the dative case, most commonly after prepositions that govern the dative, such as í (in) or við (at). For example: Í setningunni er sagnorð.

In linguistic use, setning refers to a grammatical unit consisting of words arranged to express a proposition. The form setningunni shows how Icelandic marks definiteness and case on nouns within prepositional phrases or other contexts where the noun is the object of a preposition or part of a definite noun phrase. Sentences themselves can be simple, compound, or complex, and their structure is described by setningarfræði (syntax). The word setningunni is therefore a grammatical form rather than a separate concept; it is the way speakers reference a particular sentence within a sentence or discourse.

Etymology and morphology: The Icelandic noun setning comes from a root related to setting or arrangement of words, reflecting its meaning as a constructed unit of language. The definite dative form setningunni demonstrates how definiteness and case interact in Icelandic noun inflection. While setningunni appears mainly in written or carefully constructed speech after appropriate prepositions, the base noun setning is widely used to discuss language structure and analysis.

See also: setningarfræði.