Sérnöfn

Sérnöfn is a term used in Icelandic grammar to refer to proper nouns. These are words that name specific, unique entities, such as people, places, organizations, and specific events. Unlike common nouns, which refer to general categories of things, sérnöfn are capitalized in Icelandic writing to distinguish them.

Examples of sérnöfn include personal names like Jón, Guðrún, and Sigríður, and place names such as Reykjavík, Akureyri, and Ísland. Titles of books, films, and other creative works are also considered sérnöfn. In Icelandic, sérnöfn follow the grammatical rules of declension, changing their form based on their grammatical case (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive) and number (singular or plural). This inflectional behavior is a key characteristic that differentiates them from common nouns, even though both are subject to grammatical changes. Understanding sérnöfn is fundamental to comprehending Icelandic syntax and orthography.