víðtækum

Víðtækum is the dative plural form of the Icelandic adjective víðtækur, meaning wide-ranging, extensive or comprehensive. It is a grammatical form used when the noun it describes is masculine or neuter and in the dative case.

In Icelandic grammar, adjectives agree with the nouns they modify in gender, number and case. The dative plural form for masculine and neuter nouns often ends in -um, producing víðtækum. This form appears in noun phrases such as með víðtækum lausnum (with wide-ranging solutions) or í víðtækum tímum (in wide-ranging times), where the noun is in the dative plural and the adjective describes it.

Etymology and cognates: víðtækur is built from víð- meaning wide and tækur, a root related to capability or suitability, forming an adjective that conveys breadth or versatility. The construction is similar to other North Germanic languages, where compounds expressing breadth or scope are common, and víðtækur has equivalents in related languages that convey a broad or comprehensive sense.

Usage and register: víðtækur and its inflected forms, including víðtækum, are most commonly found in descriptive, formal, or written Icelandic, such as academic writing, journalism, or literature. In everyday speech, speakers may prefer simpler phrasing or other descriptors, depending on context. As a rule, víðtækum signals a statement about breadth or comprehensiveness in a dative plural noun phrase.