13 Comments
882
I'd like to point out why there's an article here.
In Swedish, with professions and similar things, you usually don't have an article.
He is a lawyer. = Han är advokat.
However, when you're using words like this more figuratively, you add the article.
He is a clown. = Han är clown. = It's his job.
He is a clown. = Han är en clown. = He behaves like clown.
The same is true here. gudinna is not a job of course, and the person in the sentence is not really a goddess. So you can't take the article out of this sentence.
And what if I speak about real goddesses? About Frigg, for example? Can I say Hon är gudinna?
And how would it work with monotheistic/polytheistic religions? If a goddess is one of many, could one then also say "Hon är en gudinna" or would one still remove the article?
And now I come to think of it, in English we phrase it differently if the speaker believes in the god or goddess in question. "He is God" only for my own god (if I had one); whereas "he is a god" could be used both for my own and for some generic god.
Thanks Arnauti. I have seen your explanations now at the top of several comment threads, and it's great to get that little extra explanation from someone who knows. Great work!
- 18
Huh, intressant! I så fall är min farmor clown och min styvbror en clown.
In the sentence "Han är en clown", did you translate the text as it is in Swedish or more loosely for the shake of understanding the difference?
Actually, the -inna suffix is common in Swedish to express femininity. It has very, very old roots - even goes back to Proto-Indo-European. You can see it in the English word "queen" as well.
And the C-word, and gynaecology (ancient Greek- gyna = woman) also have the very old PIE 'cw' or 'qu' sound that is also associated with the female.
