þjóðlegra

þjóðlegra is the genitive plural form of the Icelandic adjective þjóðlegur, which means national or ethnic. It is used to express relation to nations or peoples and appears when describing something in a genitive plural context.

In Icelandic grammar, adjectives decline for gender, number, and case. The ending -legra marks the genitive plural form, typically used with masculine or mixed-gender nouns in the genitive plural. The form demonstrates agreement with the noun it modifies, so the adjective reflects the case and number of that noun.

Etymology traces þjóðlegur to the root þjóð, meaning nation or people, combined with the suffix -legur, meaning pertaining to or characteristic of. The word is part of a family of terms that relate concepts of nation, ethnicity, and collective identity to descriptors and classifications in Icelandic.

Usage notes: Because Icelandic adjectives agree with the noun they modify, þjóðlegra is what you would expect to see when the associated noun is in the genitive plural. The form is not a standalone noun but a morphological variant of the adjective used in specific grammatical contexts. It commonly appears in legal, cultural, and scholarly Icelandic texts when discussing themes of national or ethnic character, laws, customs, or institutions.

See also: þjóðlegur, Icelandic adjectives, Icelandic grammar, linguistic terms related to nation and ethnicity.