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Tout prometteur qu'il est, le prototype est défaillant.

Tout prometteur qu'il est, le prototype est défaillant.
As promising as it is, the prototype is faulty.
From Lesson 365:Concession with tout (tout... que)·French

Questions & Answers about Tout prometteur qu'il est, le prototype est défaillant.

Why do we use the indicative est here instead of the subjunctive, since this is a concession?
In French, most phrases expressing concession like bien que (even though) require the subjunctive. However, the structure tout + adjective + que is an exception and takes the indicative. It presents the fact as a concrete reality rather than a possibility or a subjective idea.
Does tout change its spelling to agree with the adjective in this structure?
In this structure, tout acts as an adverb meaning 'however' or 'as'. Like most adverbs, it is usually invariable. The only time it changes is if the following adjective is feminine and begins with a consonant or an aspirated h. Since prometteur is masculine, tout remains invariable.
Could I just say Bien qu'il soit prometteur instead of Tout prometteur qu'il est?
Yes, the overall meaning is very similar. Bien qu'il soit prometteur means 'Even though it is promising', whereas Tout prometteur qu'il est translates closer to 'As promising as it is'. The tout ... que structure simply places a much stronger emphasis on the adjective itself.
What exactly does the word défaillant mean in this context?
Défaillant describes something that is failing, faulty, or malfunctioning. It is a very natural word to use for technology or systems (like le prototype) that have bugs or do not work reliably yet.

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