sérgreinakerfi

Sérgreinakerfi is a term used in Icelandic linguistics to describe the system of determiners and definite marking that attaches to nouns, and the way this interacts with pronouns, demonstratives, and adjectives.

The framework focuses on how definiteness is encoded morphologically in Icelandic. In modern Icelandic, the definite article is not a separate word but a suffix attached to the noun. The sérgreinakerfi thus accounts for the formation of definite noun phrases, such as hesturinn and bókin, and explains how determiners influence the agreement and form of surrounding adjectives.

Scholars apply the concept across dialectal varieties and through historical stages, from Old Norse to contemporary Icelandic, to analyze trends in article formation and demonstrative use. The model helps compare how different varieties signal definiteness and referential status within noun phrases.

While the specifics vary, the general idea is that the system provides a unified way to describe how nouns, determiners, and adjectives cooperate to signal definiteness and referential status within noun phrases. The sérgreinakerfi is used as a descriptive tool in grammars, typological studies, and historical linguistics, rather than as a prescriptive or universal rule set.