Breakdown of Það er strangur borðsiður að hún noti annaðhvort gaffalinn eða skeiðina.
vera
to be
hún
she
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
nota
to use
eða
or
skeiðin
the spoon
að
that (conjunction)
strangur
strict
annaðhvort
either
borðsiðurinn
the table manner
gaffallinn
the fork
Questions & Answers about Það er strangur borðsiður að hún noti annaðhvort gaffalinn eða skeiðina.
Why is the verb noti used here instead of the regular present tense notar?
The phrase Það er strangur borðsiður að... expresses a rule or requirement. Expressions of necessity, commands, and strict rules trigger the subjunctive mood in the following að clause. Therefore, we use the present subjunctive form noti instead of the indicative notar.
How do we form the present subjunctive for the verb nota?
Nota (to use) is a Group 1 weak verb. To form the present subjunctive, you drop the infinitive -a ending and add the subjunctive endings: -i, -ir, -i, -um, -ið, -i. Since the subject is hún, we add -i to the stem not-, giving us hún noti.
Why are gaffalinn and skeiðina in the accusative case?
They are the direct objects receiving the action of the verb nota (to use). Even though the verb is in the subjunctive mood, it still requires its objects to be in the accusative case. The masculine word gaffall with the definite article becomes gaffalinn (the fork), and the feminine word skeið becomes skeiðina (the spoon).
How does the phrase annaðhvort ... eða work here?
This is a fixed pairing that means "either ... or". You place annaðhvort before the first option and eða before the second. It connects the two choices without changing their grammatical case.
What are the parts of the compound noun borðsiður?
It is made from borð (table) and siður (custom, tradition, or habit). Together, they literally translate to "table custom", which is used to mean "table manners" or "dining etiquette".
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