Undirordnandi

Undirordnandi is a term in Icelandic linguistics used to describe the set of words and particles that introduce subordinate clauses. These elements mark subordination, linking a dependent clause to a main clause and specifying the function of that clause within the sentence. The category typically includes subordinating conjunctions, complementizers and certain relative words.

Subordinating conjunctions introduce adverbial or conditional clauses that modify the action or state of the main clause. Common examples include ef (if), þegar (when), þegar (as/while in temporal sense), vegna þess að (because), and þótt (although). Complementizers introduce content clauses that complete a verb or expression, most notably að, which can mean “that” or function as an infinitive marker in some constructions, as in Ég held að hann komi (I think that he is coming). Relative words, such as sem (that/which/who), can also function as undirordnandi elements in relative clauses, as in maðurinn sem kom inn (the man who came in).

In Icelandic syntax, subordinate clauses typically depend on a main clause and often exhibit a different word order, with the finite verb frequently appearing at the end of the subordinate clause. The term also encompasses concessive and comparative subordination forms (for example, þótt, eins og) that link clauses in nuanced ways.

Undirordnandi contrasts with coordinating devices, which join independent clauses of equal status. Understanding undirordnandi elements helps describe how complex sentences are built and how meaning is organized through subordination in Icelandic.