viðfangsefnis

Viðfangsefnis is the genitive singular form of the Icelandic noun viðfangsefni, which denotes the subject matter, topic, issue, or task that a document, discussion, project, or study addresses. The concept covers both concrete tasks and abstract topics and is used to indicate the focus or scope of work.

In academic, professional, and public discourse, viðfangsefni describes what is being investigated, debated, or carried out. It can refer to the overall scope of a project, the research questions, or the problems a report or policy seeks to address. The genitive form viðfangsefnis is used in constructions that attribute the subject matter to another noun, as in phrases such as viðfangsefni rannsóknarinnar, meaning the subject matter of the study.

Usage notes: The base form viðfangsefni is the common noun for topic or subject matter, while viðfangsefnis marks possession or relation in contexts where a second noun describes what the subject matter belongs to or concerns. This term is widely found in education, research, journalism, and policy writing, where clear specification of what is being discussed or handled is important.

See also: viðfangsefni.