Q. How many degrees of Comparison are there? A. Three, which are diftinguished by the denominations of POSITIVE, COMPARATIVE, and SUPERLATIVE, Q. What is the Pofitive? A. The Pofitive is the adjective in its natural fignification, without any regard to the increafing or diminishing of it; as grand, great, petit, fmall; fort, strong; &c. Q. What is the Comparative? A. The Comparative increases or diminishes the fignification of the Pofitive; and is formed, in French, by putting either plus (more) or moins (lefs) before the Adjective; as plus grand or moins grand, greater or lefs great; plus petit, or moins petit, small or lefs fmall. Q. What is the Superlative? A. The Superlative expreffes the fignification of the Adjective in the highest or loweft degree of all; and is formed, in French, by putting le plus, la plus, les plus (the most) or le moins, la moins, les moins, (the leaft) before the Adjective, according to the Gender and Number of the Subftantive it relates to; as in thefe Examples: il eft le plus grand, mais le moins fort de tous, he is the tallest, but the weakest of all; votre Tante eft la plus riche, mais la moins libérale de vos Parens, your Aunt is the richest, but the leaft liberal of your relations; &c. Q. Do all French Adjectives form their Degrees of Comparison in the fame manner? A. No; for the three following Adjectives have a Comparative and Superlative of their own; viz. Yet, the two laft may also be SUPERLATIVE. le meilleur, the best; le pire, the worst; le moindre, the leaft. compared with plus and le plus, prefixed to their Pofitive; for we frequently fay plus mauvais, plus petit, &c. But never plus hon. CHAP, Q. Q. CHA P. V. Of Pronouns in general. WHAT are Pronouns ? A. They are Words of a peculiar ufe in Speech; fome ferving as fubftitutes for Subftantives, and others performing the office of Adjectives. How many forts of Pronouns are there? A. There are fix forts, which are distinguished by the fol lowing names; viz. 'The Perfonal, The Conjunctive, The Poffeffive, The Abfolute, The Demonftrative, The Relative, Les Perfonnels. Les Conjonctifs. Les Poffeffifs. Les Abfolus. Les Demonftratifs. Q. What are the Perfonal Pronouns? A. They are those which directly denote Perfons, and are ufed instead of their names; as Je I, tu thou, il he, elle fhe, for the Singular; Nous we, vous you or ye, ils or elles they, for the Plural. See the Conjugations of Verbs, which are annexed to CHAP. vi. p. 116. What are the Conjunctive Pronouns ? A. The Conjunctive Pronouns are also used instead of the names of Perfons and Things, but differ from the Perfonal Pronouns in this refpect, that they are either governed by Verbs, or fet after prepofitive Particles; as moi or me me; toi or te thee; le, la, elle, or lui, fe, foi, which may be rendered by him, her, or it, in the Singular; Nous us; vous you or ye; eux, elles, les, leur or fe, for the Plural; according to the fenfe they imply. Q. What are the Poffeffive Pronouns. A. They are Pronouns which indicate the Poffeffion of the Object before which they are placed; as mon livre, my book; ta plume, thy pen; Son chapeau, his hat, &c. As As thefe Pronouns perform the office of Adjectives, they muft likewise agree, in French, with the Gender and Number of the Subftantive which they precede. Q. What are the Abfolute Pronouns ? A. They are Pronouns which also indicate poffeffion, but in an abfolute sense, that is to say, without having a Substantive annexed to them; though they relate to one already expreffed before. These are le mien or la mienne, mine; le tien or la tienne, thine; le nôtre or la nôtre, ours; &c. They likewife agree in French, with the Gender and Number of the Subftantive they relate to. Q. Are these two laft forts always placed among Pronouns? A. They are fo by the generality of Grammarians, because they ferve as fubftitutes for Conjunctive Pronouns; for inftance, when I fay, c'est mon livre, it is my book; c'est le mien, it is mine; these Phrases imply, ce livre est à moi, this book belongs to me; &c. Q. What are the Demonftrative Pronouns ? A They are pronouns which ferve to point out any Perfon or object whatever; as ce Monfieur, this or that Gentleman; cet Enfant, this or that Child; cette maison, this or that houfe; ces Arbres, thefe or thofe trees; &c. Q. Are the Pronouns ce and cet ufed indifferently in French? A. No; for ce is only used before a Subftantive of the Maf h culine Gender, beginning with a Confonant or b afpirated; and cet before a Subftantive Masculine, beginning with a Vowel or mute. Q: What are the Relative Pronouns ? A. They are Pronouns that generally have a relation to a preceding Subftantive, which is called, by Grammarians, the Antecedent; as le Maître qui enfeigne, the Master who teaches; le livre que j'ai acheté, the book which I have bought; &c. But when they are used for asking Questions, they commonly begin a Sentence; as Qui vous apelloit? Who called you? Que dites-vous? What are you faying? &c. Thefe fix claffes of Pronouns are diftinctly exhibited in the two following pages; viz. A COM |
