þörfina

þörfina is a term found in Icelandic-language texts that is used to refer to the needs of a group in a collective or abstract sense. It is not common in everyday speech, and its appearances are mainly in linguistic analyses, philosophy of social policy, and discussions of welfare where the concept of "needs" is central.

Etymology and form: The root þörf means "need" or "necessity" in Icelandic. The definite singular is þörfin. The form þörfina, while not part of the standard everyday inflection, is encountered in some analyses as a plural or collective form created by adding the suffix -ina to signal a set of needs. Because Icelandic morphology allows various productive suffixes, exact usage can vary by author.

Usage and attestation: Because the form is rare, attestations are limited to specific corpora and reference works on Icelandic morphology or policy discourse. In such contexts, þörfina can be used to discuss the aggregate needs of a population, rather than individual requirements. It is sometimes contrasted with terms for demands or desires to clarify the distinction between essential needs and other speech acts.

See also: Icelandic language; needs; welfare policy; word formation in Icelandic.