Breakdown of Nýja samþykktin er virkilega fáránleg. Er hún það?
vera
to be
hún
she
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
nýr
new
Questions & Answers about Nýja samþykktin er virkilega fáránleg. Er hún það?
Why does the echo question say Er hún það? instead of just Er hún? to mean "Is it?"
In English, we often end echo questions on the auxiliary verb ("Is it?", "Does she?"). In Icelandic, you cannot leave the verb hanging. When the original statement uses vera (to be), you must include það in the question to stand in for the predicate you are echoing (in this case, virkilega fáránleg).
Why use the feminine pronoun hún to mean "it" here?
The pronoun must match the grammatical gender of the noun it refers back to. Since samþykktin (the bylaw) is a feminine noun, you must use hún rather than the neuter pronoun það.
Why is nýja in the weak form but fáránleg in the strong form?
Adjectives that directly modify a definite noun, like samþykktin (the bylaw), must use the weak declension, hence nýja. However, fáránleg is a predicate adjective. Because it comes after the verb er and stands alone, it takes the strong declension. Both adjectives are in the feminine singular nominative form to match the noun.
Does the noun samþykkt only mean "bylaw"?
It has a few related meanings. It comes from the verb að samþykkja (to agree or approve), so it can broadly mean an approval, an agreement, or a resolution. In corporate, legal, or municipal contexts, it most commonly translates to "bylaw" or "ordinance".