CONVERSATION XI. ON PREPOSITIONS. Scholar. What is a preposition? Master. It is a word placed between two other words, to point out, or express, a relation between the ideas denoted by those two words, S. What do you mean by a relation between two ideas? M. A relation or correspondence, which renders them mutually necessary, and which is pointed out by the word called preposition. When, for instance, I say, Alexander was the son of Philip, in this sentence there is evidently a relation between Alexander and Philip, which is, that the former is the son of the latter: the preposition of points it out. The relation which the mind perceives between ideas, has its foundation, or prototype, in Nature, the objects of which are dependant upon one another; thus, the universe supposes a creator, a mother awakens the idea of a husband, children, education, &c. as Pope so elegantly expresses it in the following lines: Nothing is foreign; parts relate to whole; The chain holds on, and where it ends unknown. The relations between objects, being various, have given rise to various prepositions by which they are distinguished. S. Are there as many prepositions as there are relations ? M. No; for the same preposition is often used to express different relations: the same relation is also sometimes expressed by different prepositions. A table is annexed, which will give you an idea of the use of prepositions in the French language, exemplified in a series of familiar phrases. S. Is the preposition always placed between two words? M. It should be so; the preposition having been introduced as a channel of communication between two words, reciprocally necessary to each other, for the complete expression of the thought. However, exceptions have been made in favour of poetical harmony, and of brevity of language: this accounts for the preposition being separated from, or deprived of, its first term, which, to denote its place, is called the antecedent. In French poetry you will often meet with the preposition separated from its antecedent, as in the two following lines: Aux êtres sans raison, le Ciel, par indulgence, De leur dernière fin cache la connaissance. To each unthinking being, Heav'n a friend, The antecedents of the prepositions à (ar put for à les) and de, are the words cache and connaissance. M In the inscription on the statue of Maffei at Verona, A Scipion Maffei, vivant, To Scipio Maffei, during his life, the antecedent words, statue consacrée, are understood. On the direction of letters, for instance, A Messieurs Bateson & Co. à Livourne. The words, cette lettre sera rendue, this letter will be delivered, are understood. S. Is the second term of a preposition always expressed in French? M. No: there are several prepositions, after which it may be understood,―auparavant, before; depuis, since; alentour, round; dessus, over or above; and dessous, under;-exemplified in the following phrases: Ce n'est pas d'aujourd'hui que je le sais; il me l'avait dit aupa ravant. It is not to-day that I learnt it; he had told it me before. Au lieu de mettre les souliers sous la table, il les a mis dessus. Instead of putting the shoes under the table, he put them over (or upon) it. Il s'est trompé s'il les a mis dessus; il aurait dû les metre dessous. He made a mistake if he put them on the table; he should have put them under it. On m'a refusé l'entrée du jardin; pour m'en dédommager, je me suis promené alentour. They refused me entrance into the garden; but, to make myself amends, I took a walk around it. Vous le vites l'année dernière, mais ne l'avez-vous pas vu depuis? You saw him last year, but have you not seen him since? The words aujourd'hui, table, jardin, l'année dernière, are understood. We call such words the consequents or complements* of a preposition. S. Are prepositions useful only to express relations between objects and qualities? M. They discharge a very important function in forming the derivatives of verbs: you have seen instances of it in our conjugation, in the derivatives of mettre, venir, &c. Here follow those in use for that purpose, many of which are borrowed, in that instance, with a slight alteration, from the Latin,-Ad ou A: mettre, admettre; prendre, apprendre.-Con, com, contre: courir, concourir; battre, combattre; venir, contrevenir.—De, dis: faire, défaire; paraître, disparaître.-E, en, em, entre, ex: puiser, épuiser; traîner, entraîner; porter, emporter; prendre, entreprendre; traire, extraire.-In, im, inter: disposer, indisposer; poser, imposer; rompre, interrompre.-Me, mau: connaître, méconnaître; dire, maudire.-Ob: tenir, obtenir.-Par, per, pré, pro, pour: venir, parvenir; mettre, permetre; munir, prémunir; poser, proposer; suivre, poursuivre.-Re, ré: commencer, recommencer; former, réformer.—Se, sou, sur, sus: courir, secourir; tenir, soutenir; prendre, surprendre; pendre, suspendre.-Trans: porter, transporter. An accurate knowledge of the meaning of the prepositions and primitive verbs will, in general, lead you to that of the derivatives. You are now to commit to memory the table subjoined to this conversation: in it you will find the prepositions exemplified sufficiently to direct you. We observe here, once for all, that, in this treatise, the word complement, of which we have already given an idea, in treating on the adjective, means, as in the grammars of Beauzée, Sicard, &c. that which is added to a word, to determine its signification in any manner whatever. There are two sorts of words, the signification of which may be determined by complements:-1. all those which have a general signification susceptible of different degrees; 2. all those which have a signification relative to any term whatever. Those of the first class are, 1. nouns common. 2. every adjective and adverb, which, implying in their signification an idea susceptible of quantity, are themselves susceptible of what is called degrees of signification; and 3. every verb, the individual idea of which may also receive those various degrees. Those of the second class are, 1. several nouns common, 2. several adjectives, 3. a few adcerbs, 4. every active verb, as well as some others, and 5. every preposition. If we abstain from giving examples, it is to avoid swelling this note, and because the doctrine of complements has been treated in a masterly manner by Beauzee, to whom we refer all those whom a love for the science induces to explore that part of gramınar. M 2 Exemplifications. Il fut exempté de la milice, attendu son âge. He was exempted from the militia, Son jardin est attenant du mien. He lives adjoining the mint. J'ai voyagé avec lui depuis Paris I have travelled with him from Il demeure à trois milles d'ici. You are far from him. Venez demeurer près de moi. Il ne m'a pas écrit depuis quatre ans. He has not written to me these four years. Il a visité les malades depuis le premier jusqu'au dernier. He has visited the patients, from the first to the last. Vous couperez les pommes en trois. ceaux. The meat has been cut in pieces. Il était triste durant la fête. Il a plu pendant toute la journée. J'ai échangé ma jument pour une meilleure. I have exchanged my mare for a better one. |