nafnsetningar

In Icelandic linguistics, nafnsetningar (nominal clauses) are subordinate clauses that function as noun phrases within a larger sentence. They express content that would otherwise be conveyed by a noun or a proposition, and they can serve as subjects, objects, or complements in the main clause.

Nafnsetningar are typically finite clauses that are introduced by complementizers such as að (that) or by interrogative words like hvort (whether). They can also appear after verbs of thinking, saying, or knowing, where they carry the content of the verb. Common uses include statement content, questions embedded in a sentence, and reported speech.

Examples:

- Ég held að hann komi. (I think that he is coming.)

- Hún veit ekki hvort hann komi. (She does not know whether he will come.)

- Það kom í ljós að hann var seinn. (It turned out that he was late.)

- Hann sagði að hann kæmi. (He said that he would come.)

Nafnsetningar are contrasted with nafnháttarsetningar (infinitival clauses), which are non-finite and do not contain a finite verb form. They differ from relative clauses and other dependent clauses in that they function as noun-like units within the main clause rather than modifying a noun.

In practice, nafnsetningar are a key mechanism for embedding content within sentences, enabling complex reporting, thinking, and questioning without introducing new nouns. They interact with word order and punctuation in Icelandic, and their exact use can vary with register and syntactic context.