[[OIcel morphology]]
# OIcel definite article

As in modern Scandinavian languages, the OIcel definite article is present both as a suffix on nouns and as an independent word.
The form of the definite article depends on gender, number, and case.
This follows [[OIcel declension of adjectives#Strong|strong adjective declension]] on the root <em class="ling">in-</em>.

| №.case | masc                       | fem                         | neut                       |
| ------ | -------------------------- | --------------------------- | -------------------------- |
| sg.nom | <em class="ling">inn</em>  | <em class="ling">in</em>    | <em class="ling">it</em>   |
| sg.gen | <em class="ling">ins</em>  | <em class="ling">innar</em> | <em class="ling">ins</em>  |
| sg.dat | <em class="ling">inum</em> | <em class="ling">inni</em>  | <em class="ling">inu</em>  |
| sg.acc | <em class="ling">inn</em>  | <em class="ling">ina</em>   | <em class="ling">it</em>   |
| pl.nom | <em class="ling">inir</em> | <em class="ling">inar</em>  | <em class="ling">in</em>   |
| pl.gen | <em class="ling">inna</em> | <em class="ling">inna</em>  | <em class="ling">inna</em> |
| pl.dat | <em class="ling">inum</em> | <em class="ling">inum</em>  | <em class="ling">inum</em> |
| pl.acc | <em class="ling">ina</em>  | <em class="ling">inar</em>  | <em class="ling">in</em>   |

These appear as standalone words in a noun phrase containing adjectives, e.g.

- <em class="ling">inn gamli maðr</em> ‘the old man’

If a definite noun is the soul constituent of a noun phrase, then the article appears enclitically at the end of the noun.

- <em class="ling">maðrinn</em> nom.sg ‘the man‘
- <em class="ling">gjǫfin</em> nom.sg ‘the gift’

If the declined noun ends in a vowel or an <em class="ling">-r</em> in plural[^sg] the <em class="ling">i</em> is removed from the definite suffix.

- <em class="ling">sagan</em> nom.sg ‘the saga’
- <em class="ling">armarnir</em> nom.pl ‘the arms’

[^sg]: Not in singular, for example <em class="ling">kerlingarinnar</em> gen.sg ‘the old woman’.

Finally the ending <em class="ling">-um</em> combines with <em class="ling">inum</em> to form <em class="ling">unum</em>

- <em class="ling">gjǫfunum</em> dat.pl ‘the gifts‘

For examples, see [[OIcel noun phrase examples]].

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