Page:A simplified grammar of the Swedish language.djvu/55

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THE DEFINITE ARTICLE.
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and the other supplemental and affixed, as blomman, 'the flower.' The suffixes, which must accord in number and gender with the noun with which they are amalgamated, thus simply but completely represent the English definite article 'the;' as, skalden, 'the bard;' blomman, f., 'the flower;' namnet, n., 'the name;' riket, 'the kingdom;' skalderna, 'the bards;' blommorna, 'the flowers;' namnen, 'the names;' rikena, 'the kingdoms;' skald, blomma, etc., without such terminals, being indefinite, as 'bard,' 'flower,' etc.

Nouns used in an abstract sense take the article in Swedish where it is omitted in English; as, lifvet är kort, '(the) life is short;' vinet pressas ur drufvor, '(the) wine is extracted from grapes;' hvad kostar smöret i dag? 'what does (the) butter cost to-day?'

The affix is used with some names of countries and places; as for example: Italien, '(the) Italy;' Alperna, 'the Alps;' Scandinavien, 'Scandinavia;' and with certain titles; as, Riksrådet '(councillor)' Lynberg; Presidenten Wrangel. But it is not used with konung, 'king;' furste, 'prince;' grefve, 'count;' Herr, 'Mr.;' Löjtnant, 'lieutenant;' nor with any feminine titles; as, drottning, 'queen;' Fru, 'Mrs.;' Fröken, Jungfru, 'Miss;' 'Madam,' etc.

When Herr precedes another title, the latter takes the terminal article; as, har Herr grefven varit i London? 'have you been in London, count?'

When a title or professional designation precedes the name of the person addressed, the former has the final article; as, Docenten Almqvist.