"Dommeren siger det ikke er lovligt."
Translation:The judge says it is not legal.
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Is anyone able to explain why 'ikke' is not after 'er'. I am struggling to find any explanation for this.
The part "det ikke er lovligt" is a subordinate clause. The word order in a subordinate clause has the adverb (ikke) before the verb.
Correct in any Germanic language. But what strikes me here is that the verb doesn't go to the end, as in German and Dutch: Det ikke lovligt er.
908
Thank you for this explanation.
But why isn't the verb at the far end of the subordinate in place of the adjective?
Disclaimer: I'm just a learner with a textbook... Do chime in if I get it wrong!
In Danish a subject complement comes after the linking verb, like in English (though the adverb, where present, falls in a different place, as mentioned previously). The complement here is an adjective. Another example:
English: I am waiting because it is (not) quick.
Danish: Jeg venter fordi det (ikke) er hurtigt.
If not too much info, the general structure of a subordinate clause is:
c n a v V N a
where:
c = subordinate conjunction
n = subject
a = clausal adverbial
v = finite verb
V = non-finite verb
N = object/complement/real subject
A = other adverbial
The subordinate clause "... det ikke er lovligt" fits the above:
c = [at] ("that" - often omitted in similar situations to English)
n = det
a = ikke
v = er
V = (n/a)
N = lovligt (subject complement, predicative adjective)
A = (n/a)
Note: my book notes that in colloquial use, "... det er ikke lovligt" can be encountered, as the omitted conjunction "at" can be considered like a colon introducing direct speech. A previous post mentions this. Of course, you can't tell when you're just listening to someone! You'll have to ask Danes/language teachers for their opinions on this...
Could it be 'dommeren siger det er ikke lovligt'? I don't understand yet when I have to/can use 'ikke' before or after the verb it is negating.
Only if you use it as a quotation
- Dommeren siger: "Det er ikke lovligt."
