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- "Is it the duck?"
"Is it the duck?"
Translation:Er det anden?
21 Comments
Look at the question to which I've answered: "If "it" is referring to "the duck" why is it det and not den?"
I was just explaining that even though they were referring to a duck (en and), you could still use "det". I was just providing an example where using "det" would make sense. That's all.
Cheers!
If we were talking solely about english grammar, the "it" of this sentence is referring to the duck, not some unknown, out there thing that may or may not be the duck. So, thought Danes may use "det" in this instance rather than "den," those of us familiar with english grammar will forever bristle at this particular sentence.
that would make sense if the sentence was "it is a man" (or duck) because in that sentence "it" is not specific and so could mean an animal. but in this case the sentence is "is it the duck" which means that "it" refers specifically to the duck so "it should decline with the subject, which is the duck. so it should be 'den'
358
The takeaway from all this seems to be that whenever an "it" is an unknown or unconfirmed thing, it is neuter "det."