Breakdown of Þetta er ekki bara korktappatogari, heldur líka dósaupnari.
þetta
this
vera
to be
ekki
not
bara
just / only
líka
also
heldur
rather, but rather
korktappatogarinn
the corkscrew
dósaupnarinn
the can opener
Questions & Answers about Þetta er ekki bara korktappatogari, heldur líka dósaupnari.
Why are both korktappatogari and dósaupnari in the nominative case here?
The conjunction ekki bara... heldur (líka) (not only... but also) pairs two equivalent parts of a sentence, meaning they must match in case. Since they are both subject complements of the verb er (is), which always takes the nominative case, both nouns remain in the nominative.
Since both tools are masculine nouns, why does the sentence start with the neuter pronoun Þetta?
When you are identifying or pointing out an object for the first time ('This is a...'), Icelandic always uses the neuter pronoun þetta as a generic 'this.' You would only use the masculine þessi if the noun had already been established in the context.
Korktappatogari is quite a mouthful! What are its component parts?
It is a compound noun made of three parts: korkur (cork), tappi (plug or cap, here in the genitive linking form tappa), and togari (puller). Put together, it literally means 'cork-plug-puller'.
Do I always have to use líka after heldur in this structure?
Not necessarily. Just like in English, you can often leave out 'also' and just say '...but a can opener' (...heldur dósaupnari). However, including líka is very common and adds strong emphasis to the fact that the object serves dual purposes.
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