Breakdown of Le fonctionnement de ces prototypes est toujours défaillant.
être
to be
toujours
always
ce
this (before a noun)
de
of / from / any (in negative sentences) / about (concerning)
le prototype
the prototype
défaillant
faulty
le fonctionnement
the operation
Questions & Answers about Le fonctionnement de ces prototypes est toujours défaillant.
What exactly does the adjective défaillant imply here?
Could toujours be translated as "still" in this sentence instead of "always"?
Yes! Without more context, toujours can mean either "always" or "still." If the engineers have been trying to fix the prototypes for weeks, this exact sentence would naturally be translated as "The operation of these prototypes is still faulty."
We are learning the tout... que concession structure. How would we use it with this sentence to say "Faulty as the operation of these prototypes is, [...]"?
You would write Tout défaillant qu'est le fonctionnement de ces prototypes... (or Tout défaillant que le fonctionnement de ces prototypes est...). Because this structure takes the indicative mood, you simply use the standard present tense est. Also, tout remains invariable here because défaillant is a masculine adjective.
Why use the noun le fonctionnement rather than a verb phrase like "how these prototypes work"?
French has a strong preference for "nominalization" (using nouns instead of verbs or clauses) in formal, technical, or descriptive sentences. While English speakers frequently say "how these prototypes work," a French speaker will almost always opt for the noun le fonctionnement (the operation/functioning) to sound natural.
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