CONCESSIVE. Subjunctive Mood. quoique, although encore que, even though nonobstant que, although bien que, although pour peu que, however little si peu que, however little dès que, from the moment that d'abord que, as soon as * Some Conjunctions take the Infinitive with de, but this depends upon construction. COMPARATIVE. Indicative Mood. ainsi que, as well as ainsi que, as de même que, as, in the same way à mesure que, in proportion as autant que, as much as comme si, as if au lieu que, instead of suivant que, in consequence of selon que, according as CHAPTER VII.-INTERJECTIONS. § 442. Interjections, as the name implies, are words thrown into a sentence without influencing its construction. They express : Grief: alas! hélas! aie! oh! etc. Joy: ah! bon! hurrah! etc. Surprise ah! oh! hem! etc. : Doubt bah! Disgust fi! fi done! pouh! Silence chut! st! Laughter ah, ah! hi, hi! oh, oh! etc., etc. Various nouns, verbs, adverbs, etc., are employed as Interjections: bien à la bonne heure! bravo! au feu au secours! au voleur ! tiens! quoi! vraiment! par exemple! gare! silence! paix ! well done! all right! etc., etc. BOOK IV.-SYNTAX. § 443. Syntax treats of sentences.* A sentence is simple or compound. A simple sentence expresses but one thought, and has but one finite verb. Two parts are necessary to every simple sentence: A grammatical subject, of which something is said (predicated); A grammatical predicate, which says (predicates) something of the subject. All other words found in the simple sentence are only extensions of either the grammatical subject or of the grammatical predicate. A compound sentence consists of two or more simple sentences. Of these, one is the principal sentence, the others are co-ordinate or subordinate. A co-ordinate sentence depends for its complete sense upon the principal sentence, but is not dependent upon it for its construction. A subordinate sentence depends upon the principal sentence, both for its complete sense and for its construction. * In nearly all French Grammars, if not quite all, “Uses of Words appear under "Syntax." This is open to serious objection in itself, and is moreover contrary to the practice followed in the Grammars of other languages. Some uses of words are most conveniently placed under Accidence; a few are on the border-land between Accidence and Syntax, and are perhaps more conveniently placed with the latter; by far the largest number find their natural place in a Dictionary. U CHAPTER I.-AGREEMENT. FIRST CONCORD: THE VERB AND ITS SUBJECT. § 444. General Rule. The Verb agrees with its Subject * in number and person : On éleva une chapelle en commémoration de cet événement. They raised a chapel in commemoration of this event. (PASCAL.) Je viens à vous; car enfin aujourd'hui si vous m'abandonnez, quel sera mon appui ? I come to you; for in short, if now you abandon me, what will be my help ? § 445. Special Rules. (RACINE.) (a) Two or more singular subjects equal one in the plural, and require a plural verb. Patience et longueur de temps Font plus que force ni que rage. (LA FONTAINE.) (b) If the persons differ, the verb agrees with the first person rather than with the second, and with the second rather than with the third. A pronoun in direct agreement with the verb is often added: Lui et nous sommes d'accord. He and we are agreed. * When not otherwise stated, grammatical or word subject, and grammatical or word object, are always meant. Vous et moi partirons demain. You and I will set out to-morrow. Vous et votre père, vous vous portez bien ? You and your father are well? Toi et lui, vous êtes d'accord. SECOND CONCORD: THE ADJECTIVE AND ITS NOUN. § 446. General Rule. An Adjective agrees with that to which it is in attribution. This is true, (a) Whether the Adjective is qualificative: bon père, bonne mère, bons pères, bonnes mères; or determinative : ce père, cette mère, ces pères, ces mères. (b) Whether the Adjective is an epithet: le bon père, la bonne mère; or a complement: le père est bon, la mère est bonne. (c) Whether the Adjective is an ordinary Adjective: un beau jardin, une belle ville, le jardin est beau, la ville est belle; or a participial Adjective: un jardin cultivé, un bruit effrayant, le jardin est cultivé, le bruit est effrayant, une terre cultivée, la chaleur est effrayante. (d) Whether the Adjective is in the Positive, Comparative, or Superlative degree: une bonne maison, une meilleure maison, la meilleure maison. § 447. Special Rules. 1. Two or more singular Substantives (or their equivalents) equal one in the plural, and require the Adjective in the plural. Du pain et du vin excellents. La viande et la moutarde sont gátées. 2. If the genders differ, the Adjective is put in the mascu line. The masculine noun is generally put near the Adjective; De la viande et du pain excellents. |