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Subtracting the two linearized equations eliminates their acceleration terms:For $g,k>0$, the assumed nontrivial simple harmonic motion therefore hasThe support displacement and pendulum angle oscillate in phase. Inserting this relation into either Euler-Lagrange equation yieldsso the one positive finite angular frequency isThe negative frequency describes the same real oscillation after a phase change. For a general phase, replace the sine in both coordinates by $A\cos (\omega t)+B\sin (\omega t)$.

There is no missing second finite branch. The quadratic Lagrangian iswhose kinetic matrix is $\left(\begin{array}{cc}1& 1\\ 1& 1\end{array}\right)$ and has rank one. Its characteristic determinant is ${\omega }_0^2{\omega }_1^2-({\omega }_0^2+{\omega }_1^2){\omega }^2$, not a quadratic polynomial in ${\omega }^2$. This singular kinetic matrix in small oscillations results from taking the support mass to be exactly zero. Adding a small support mass restores a second mode that runs to infinite frequency as that mass vanishes.

For a stiff spring,The hinge becomes fixed, recovering the simple pendulum frequency, as expected for the pendulum with a massless spring-mounted support. At finite $k$, horizontal support motion makes the frequency smaller.

For a bob of mass $m$ on a massless rod of length $\ell$, let a massless support slide horizontally against a spring of stiffness $k$. With support displacement $s=\ell \eta$ and angle $\theta$ from downward vertical, the quadratic Lagrangian, divided by $m{\ell }^2$, is $(\dot{\eta }+\dot{\theta }{)}^2/2-(k/m){\eta }^2/2-(g/\ell ){\theta }^2/2$. Subtracting its two Euler-Lagrange equations gives $\eta =mg\theta /(k\ell )$. There is one finite normal mode, with the displayed frequency. A stiff spring fixes the support and recovers the simple pendulum frequency. The missing second finite frequency reflects a singular kinetic matrix in small oscillations, not an omitted oscillation branch.