38 QUALIFYING ADJECTIVES - OF NUMBER OF GENDER. ADJECTIVE, DEFINITIONS 1. AN ADJECTIVE is a word which qualifies or restricts the meaning of a noun. 2. Hence adjectives may be divided into two grand classes-qualifying and restrictive. 3. Restrictive adjectives may be subdivided into four classes, viz.: Numeral, Demonstrative, Possessive, and Indefinite. I. Qualifying Adjectives. Of Number. 29. The plural of adjectives is generally formed in the same way as that of nouns. des hommes habiles, skilful men. des enfans maladroits, awkward children. Special Rules. 30. Adjectives ending in al form the masculine plural in aur, especially if they are of frequent use in the feminine plural; as,— cardinal. général. colonial. égal. grammatical. guttural. immoral. impérial. loyal. méridional. électoral. horizontal. 31. Adjectives in al takes, if they are seldom used in the masculine plural; such as, amical. final. glacial. initial. pascal. 32. REMARKS. 1.-Labial and nasal take 8, when they relate to sounds, and so pectoral, when connected with remedies; they make labiaux, nasaux, pectoraux, when used in anatomy. 33. 2.-Usage is divided between als and aux for the plural of the following: 35. REMARK.-The adjective bleu is the only exception to rule 15, and takes 8. Of Gender. Formation of the Feminine. 36. GENERAL RULE.-The feminine of adjectives, not ending in e mute, crally formed by adding an e to the masculine termination; as, le frère est grand, the brother is tall. la sœur est grande, the sister is tall. le fils est petit, is деп the son is short. 37. REMARK 1.-Adjectives which end in er require a grave accent in the feminine. le premier roi, the first king. la première reine, the first queen. un mot ambigu, le dernier sourire, the last smile. 38. REMARK 2.-Adjectives which end in gu take a diuresis over the final e of the feminin 49, an ambiguous word. une phrase ambignë, an ambiguous sentence. 39. SECOND RULE.-Adjectives ending in e mute do not vary; as,— monsieur aimable, amiable gentleman. dame aimable, amiable lady. jeune prince, young prince. LESSON FOR READING AND TRANSLATION, Illustrative of the rules opposite. Rule 29.-1. Votre frère est-il un homme habile?-Tous mes frères sont habiles. 2. Votre fils est-il maladroit?-Non, monsieur, mes fils ne sont pas maladroits. Rule 30.-1. Le pauvre est égal au riche devant Dieu. 2. Tous les citoyens sont égaux, devant la loi, en France. 3. Donnez-moi le relevé général des expéditions de cette année. 4. Tous vos comptes généraux ont des erreurs. 5. Avez-vous vu le palais royal de Madrid?Non, monsieur; j'ai cependant vu plusieurs palais royaux. Rule 31.-1. L'enfant a reçu des coups fatals. 2. Les vents du nord sont quelquefois glacials. Rule 32.-1. Prononcez des sons labials et des sons nasals. 2. Prenez des remèdes pectorals 8. Coupez les muscles pectoraux. Rule 33.-1. Les étoiles de la Grande-Ourse sont des astres boréaux (or boréals). 2. J'ai vu quelques pays australs (or austraux). 3. Les liens conjugals (or conjugaux) sont sacrés. Rule 34.-1. La France est mon pays natal. 2. Le pouvoir naval de l'Angleterre est grand. Rule 35.-1. Il y a dans l'Amérique du Sud des oiseaux bleus qui sont très-jolis. Rule 36.-1. Votre oncle est-il grand?—Mon ɔncle n'est pas grand, mais ma tante est bien grande. 2. Avez-vous un cousin bien petit?-Non, mais j'ai une cousine très-petite. Rule 37.-1. Le premier roi de France, c'est Pharamond. 2. La première femme, c'est Eve. 3. Napoléon trois est le dernier Empereur de France et Eugenie la dernière Impératrice. Rule 38.—1. Aimez-vous les mots ambigus?—Non, et encore moins les phrases ambigües. Rule 39.-1. Le monsieur est jeune et aimable et la dame est jeune et aimable aussi. V. EXERCISE. Translate into French and write. Rule 29.-1. My son is not clever, but awkward; your sons are not awkward, but clever. Rule 30.-1. The rich and the poor are equal before the law. 2. Give me the general accounts (say-accounts general) now. 3. I have seen several royal palaces (say—paluces royal). Rule 31.-1. Your daughter has received fatal blows (blows fatal). 2. North winds are freezing. Rule 32.-1. Take pectoral remedies (remedies pectoral) to-day. 2. Pronounce some labial sounds (sounds labial). 3. Cut now the pectoral muscles (muscles pectoral). Rule 33.-1. I have seen colossal ships (ships colossal) in southern countries (countries southern). Rule 34.-1. My native country (country native) has (a) great naval power (power naval). Rule 36.-1. Have you a short brother?—No, sir, but I have a short sister. 2. Your father is tall.-No, miss, my father is not tall, my mother only is tall. Rule 37.-1. The name of the last Emperor of France is Napoleon the third, and Eugénie is the name of the last Empress. 2. The first use of the first village. Rule 38.-1. This word is very ambiguous, sit, and that sentence is ambiguous also. 40 ADJECTIVE ·FORMATION OF THE FEMININE. 40. THIRD RULE.-Adjectives ending in x, change a into se; as,— homme jaloux, jealous man. femme jalouse, jealous woman. heureux oncle, happy uncle. 41. REMARK.-The five following are excepted, and most of them very irregular:— 42. FOURTH RULE.-Adjectives ending in ƒ change ƒ into ve. un cheval vif. a quick horse. une jument vive, a quick mare. un chapeau neuf, a new hat. REMARK.-Bref (short) and brief (brief) require a grave accent in the feminine (brève, briève). 43. FIFTH RULE.-Adjectives ending in el, eil, il, ul, en, on, ot, or et, generally double the final consonant and take e mute; as, 44. The seven following are excepted, and follow the general rule: REMARK.-Adjectives ending in et, and not doubling the t for the feminine, take a grave accent. 45. SIXTH RULE.-Adjectives ending in eur change eur into euse, when ant, put instead of eur, forms a present participle. 47. Franc makes franche when it means loyal; it makes franque when it means the Frank nation. frank (loyal), 48. Five have two forms for the masculine, and one for the feminine. LESSON FOR READING AND TRANSLATION, Illustrative of the rules opposite. Rule 40.-1. Votre frère est-il jaloux ?-Non, c'est ma sœur qui est jalouse. 2. Je suis tantôt heureux, tantôt malheureux; elle est toujours heureuse, jamais malheureuse. Rule 41.-1. Le temps est doux.-Oui, la chaleur du soleil est très-douce. 2. Ces comptes sont faux, ces additions sont fausses aussi. 3. Vieux soldat, vieille bète, c'est un proverbe. Rule 42.-1. Votre cheval est-il eif?-Pas du tout, mais ma jument est excessivement vive. 2. Ce chapeau n'est pas neuf, mais cette robe est tout-à-fait neuce. Rule 43.-1. Il est cruel, elle n'est pas cruelle. 2. J'ai un pareil couteau et une pareille bourse. 3. Voici un gentil bouquet. 4. Voilà une fleur gentille, n'est-ce pas ?-Oui, très-gentille. 5. Ce vin est bon, cette cau n'est pas bonne. 6. S'il est muet, elle n'est pas muette. Rule 44.-1. Les paquets sont-ils complets?-Oui, mais les caisses ne sont pas encore com pletes. 2. Soyez discret, mon fils; soyez aussi discrète, ma fille. 2. Les Rule 45.-1. Les Français sont-ils flatteurs?-Oui, ils ont la langue un pen flatteuse. hommes sont trop souvent trompeurs. 3. Les dames de ce magasin ne sont pas trompeuses. Rule 46.-1. Vos enfans ont tous le nez aquilin et la chevelure (or les cheveux) chatain. Rule 47.-1. Soyez franc, monsieur, avec moi; soyoz franche, madame, avec nous. 2. La nation frinque était belliqueuse. Rule 48.-1. Voilà un bel écureuil et un beau lapin, dans une belle cage. 2. Vous êtes fou, si vous avez ce fol espoir, car c'est une folle idée. 3. J'ai un nouvel éventail, un nouveau manteau et une nouvelle ombrelle. 4. Vendez ce vieil habit, ce vieux gilet et cette vieille redingote. Rule 49.-1. J'ai un cheval blanc et une jument blanche. 2. Ce vin est frais, cette eau n'est pas fraiche. 3. Le coton et le velours sont secs, la laine est-elle sèche ? Rule 40.-1. Men are jealous, women are jealous also. 2. I am very happy, she is unhappy. Rule 41.-1. Life is sometimes sweet. 2. That woman is false. 3. Give me an old parasol. Rule 42-1. If the boy is not quick, the girl is quick. 2. Is that hat (ce chapeau est-il) new? Not (pas) quite new, but this gown is quite new. Rule 43.-1. Little girls (les petites filies) are sometimes cruel. 2. Here is a pretty flower (flower pretty), is it not? 3. Is that water good?-It is (elle est) too warm. Rule 44.-1. These boxes are not complete. 2. Be reserved, miss, and do not be too anxious. Rule 45.-1. Men are too often flattering. 2. Your tongue is very flattering, sir. 3. If there are gentlemen who are deceitful, there are also deceitful ladies (ladies deceitful). Rule 46.-1. I like a man with an aquiline nose (nose aquiline) and brown hair (hair brown). Rule 47.-2. A frank mau (a man frank) has sometimes his (la) tongue too frank. Rule 48.-1. I have bought (achete) a beautiful rabbit, a beautiful cage, and a beautiful squirrel. 2. That man is foolish to have (d'ar sir) that foolish hope, it is a foolish idea. 3. Here is my new cloak and my new parasol; there is your new fan. Rule 49.-1. Give some fresh water (water fresh) to that white mare (mare white).-Not at all +2 ADJECTIVE COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES. COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES. DEFINITIONS. 1. Adjectives may be divided into two classes:-those which denote a variable, and those which denote an invariable quality or restriction. Thus, grand, utile, and petit, denote variable qualities; but oaken, annual, und triple, do not admit of different degrees in their signification. 2. The comparison of an adjective is the expression of its quality in different degrees. 3. There are three degrees of comparison:-the positive, the comparative, and the superlative. 4. The positive degree denotes simply a quality without a comparison. 5. The comparative degree denotes that the quality belongs to one of two objects, or classes of objects, in an equal degree with the other, or in a higher or lower degree than in the other. Hence there exists three sorts of comparatives, viz.: the comparative of equality, the comparative of superiority, and the comparative of inferiority. 6. The superlative degree denotes that a quality belongs to one of two, or of several objects, or classes of objects, in a higher or lower degree than to the other, or any of the others. 7. French adjectives do not vary their terminations to express the comparative and superlative, but are preceded by modifying words. Comparatives and Superlatives. 50. Comparatives are expressed as follows: 1. That of Equality, by 8. That of Inferiority, by Jaussi, as. not more....... .placed before the adjective. ... do. in a negative sentence. .placed before the adjective. do. in a negative sentence. .placed before the adjective. do. in a negative sentence. adjective in English, it is always ex less..... pas moins, not less.. In respect to as or than, which follows the pressed in French by que. 1. 2. 8. (Le frère est aussi grand que la sœur. L'oncle n'est pas plus àgé que la tante. { Le poisson n'est pas moins vif que l'oiseau. 51. Superlatives are expressed as follows: The brother is as tall as the sister. The fish is not less quick than the bird. 1. The lowest degree, by the definite article le, la, les, according to gender and number, or the possessive adjective mon, ton, son, ma, ta, sa, notre, votre, leur, or either of the adverbs bien, beaucoup, placed before the comparative of inferiority moins. 2. The highest degree, by the same words placed before the comparative of superiority, plus; and of, in, or on, which follows the adjective in English, is expressed in French by de, which may be contracted with the article le, la, les, into du or des. EXAMPLES. (Le moins appliqué des élèves. L'homme le plus rusé du monde. The least attentive of the pupils. The least dull of our days. The least rich of their friends. The most artful man in the world. |