málum

Málum is the dative plural form of the Icelandic noun mál, which means language, speech, or matter. In Icelandic, nouns decline for case and number, and many neuter nouns use the ending -um in the dative plural. Therefore málum occurs when mál is in the dative plural, typically in constructions governed by a dative context, such as after certain prepositions or verbs that require the dative.

The base word mál has a long history in the language, originating in Old Norse and related to cognate terms in other Germanic languages that also denote language or speech. In modern Icelandic, the form málum serves a grammatical function rather than carrying an independent lexical meaning. Its interpretation in a sentence depends on the governing preposition or verb that selects the dative case.

Usage notes: málum is not a separate lexical entry with a standalone sense; it is a grammatical inflection of mál. When translating or parsing Icelandic, treat málum as the dative plural form and look to the surrounding words to determine its meaning (for example, whether the reference is about languages, matters, or speech in a dative context).

See also: Icelandic grammar, Dative case, Noun mál.