andlitsnöfnun

Andlitsnöfnun is the Icelandic term for the system that marks definiteness on nouns by attaching a suffix to the noun itself, rather than using a separate definite article. In Icelandic, the indefinite form has no definite ending, while the definite form is created through suffixation that agrees with the noun’s gender and number. The phenomenon is central to how noun phrases are constructed in the language.

In practice, the definite suffix is added to the noun stem in singular and plural forms. Examples of common patterns include bók (book) becoming bókin (the book), hús (house) becoming húsið (the house), and maðr (man) becoming maðurinn (the man). These forms illustrate how definiteness is expressed directly on the noun, with the suffix shaping the word's final form.

The definite form is used when referring to a specific, contextually known entity or a noun already introduced in discourse. Because definiteness is built into the noun, it can interact with other elements in the noun phrase, such as adjectives and pronouns, which also show agreement with the definite noun where applicable.

Historically and typologically, andlitsnöfnun is a defining feature of Icelandic morphology. It reflects a broader North Germanic tradition of suffixing definiteness to the noun, in contrast to languages that employ a separate definite article. The system remains a stable and productive part of modern Icelandic grammar.