Question 1

How would we apply this lesson's structure to talk about "the ever so broken gear"?

Accepted Answer

You would need to swap the fixed phrase i stykker for a true adjective, such as ødelagt (broken/destroyed). Because tandhjul is neuter, the phrase becomes det nok så ødelagte tandhjul. Remember that when you use the separate definite article (det), the noun drops its definite suffix (-et).

Question 2

Why use the phrase i stykker instead of an adjective for "broken"?

Accepted Answer

I stykker (literally "in pieces") is the standard, everyday way to say a mechanical object or appliance is broken or not functioning. You could use an adjective like ødelagt, but that often sounds a bit more dramatic, closer to "destroyed" or "ruined."

Question 3

Since i stykker doesn't change form, how can we tell if the relative clause som var i stykker describes both items or just the spring?

Accepted Answer

Grammatically, it's ambiguous here, just as it is in English. Context implies both were broken. If you used an adjective instead of a fixed prepositional phrase, the plural ending would make it obvious: som var ødelagte (both are broken) versus som var ødelagt (only the common-gender spring is broken).

Question 4

What determines the different definite endings on tandhjulet and fjederen?

Accepted Answer

It comes down to grammatical gender: et tandhjul (neuter) becomes tandhjulet, and en fjeder (common gender) becomes fjederen. Note that for compound nouns like tandhjul, it is always the final root word (hjul) that dictates the gender.

Hun skiftede tandhjulet og fjederen som var i stykker.

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