French grammar and French grammar and grammatical analysisgrammatical analysis

Lecture 2Lecture 2What is grammar (2)What is grammar (2)

Dr Rachel HoareDr Rachel Hoare

Exercise: Identify Exercise: Identify agreementsagreements

Marier le sérieux avec l’humourMarier le sérieux avec l’humour L’espèce humaine est menacée d’un mal L’espèce humaine est menacée d’un mal

pernicieux: celui de se prendre au sérieux. pernicieux: celui de se prendre au sérieux. Sans doute est-il naturel que le sport Sans doute est-il naturel que le sport n’échappe pas à ce fléau. Pourtant rien n’est n’échappe pas à ce fléau. Pourtant rien n’est plus anti-conformiste, par essence, qu’un plus anti-conformiste, par essence, qu’un champion. Fort de cette constatation, on champion. Fort de cette constatation, on pourrait s’attendre à ce que nos sportifs pourrait s’attendre à ce que nos sportifs sachent faire prevue de moins de retenue sachent faire prevue de moins de retenue que la moyenne de leurs concitoyens. que la moyenne de leurs concitoyens.

Lecture 2 - Outline

• Dictionary usage

• Pronunciation of French – International Phonetic Alphabet

• Syntactic classes

• What is a word?

• What is a noun?

• What is meant by Gender?

• What is meant by number?

• What are articles?

International Phonetic Alphabet International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)(IPA)

The IPA is used in dictionaries to indicate the The IPA is used in dictionaries to indicate the pronunciation of words. pronunciation of words.

The IPA has often been used as a basis for creating new The IPA has often been used as a basis for creating new writing systems for previously unwritten languages. writing systems for previously unwritten languages.

The IPA is used in some foreign language text books The IPA is used in some foreign language text books and phrase books to transcribe the sounds of languages and phrase books to transcribe the sounds of languages which are written with non-Latin alphabets. It is also which are written with non-Latin alphabets. It is also used by language learners.used by language learners.

Dictionary useDictionary use Oxford HachetteOxford Hachette

hierarchical organisation by:hierarchical organisation by:grammatical categorygrammatical category

sense categorysense category

Hierarchical Hierarchical organisation of a organisation of a dictionary entrydictionary entry

Kindly / Kindly / ‘kaindli‘kaindli / I / I adj adj

[person, nature] [person, nature]

[smile, interest] [smile, interest]

[voice][voice]

[face] [face]

she’s a ~ soulshe’s a ~ soul

Hierarchical organisation of a Hierarchical organisation of a dictionary entrydictionary entry

Kindly / Kindly / ‘kaindli‘kaindli / I / I adj adj [person, nature] gentil/ille [person, nature] gentil/ille [smile, interest] bienveillant[smile, interest] bienveillant[voice] plein de gentillesse[voice] plein de gentillesse[face] sympathique[face] sympathiqueshe’s a ~ soulshe’s a ~ soul

Hierarchical organisation of a Hierarchical organisation of a dictionary entrydictionary entry

Kindly / Kindly / ‘kaindli‘kaindli / II / II advadv1 (in a kind nice way) [speak, look, treat]1 (in a kind nice way) [speak, look, treat]

to speak ~ of someoneto speak ~ of someone

2 (obligingly)2 (obligingly)she ~ agreed to doshe ~ agreed to do

Hierarchical organisation of a Hierarchical organisation of a dictionary entrydictionary entry

Kindly / Kindly / ‘kaindli‘kaindli / II / II advadv

1 (in a kind nice way) [speak, look, treat]1 (in a kind nice way) [speak, look, treat]avec gentillesseavec gentillesseto speak ~ of someoneto speak ~ of someone

2 (obligingly) gentiment2 (obligingly) gentimentshe ~ agreed to doshe ~ agreed to do

The translation processThe translation process‘he treated her kindly’‘he treated her kindly’

* Identify the problem word or phraseIdentify the problem word or phrase

* Look it up and choose the appropriate grammatical Look it up and choose the appropriate grammatical categorycategory

* Choose the appropriate sense categoryChoose the appropriate sense category

* Choose the most appropriate phrase included in the Choose the most appropriate phrase included in the sense sense

* Note the translationNote the translation

The translation processThe translation process‘he treated her kindly’‘he treated her kindly’

* Identify the problem word or phraseIdentify the problem word or phrase (kindly) (kindly)* Look it up and choose the appropriate grammatical category (II Look it up and choose the appropriate grammatical category (II

advadv))* Choose the appropriate sense categoryChoose the appropriate sense category1 (in a kind nice way)1 (in a kind nice way)

* Choose the most appropriate phrase included in the sense Choose the most appropriate phrase included in the sense (treat)(treat)

* Note the translation Note the translation (avec gentillesse)(avec gentillesse)

English and French grammar: English and French grammar: some preliminariessome preliminaries

Meaning: Meaning: (a) generalities (a) generalities (b) cognates(b) cognates(c) idioms(c) idioms

Classification (parts of speech)Classification (parts of speech)

Use (role played in a sentenceUse (role played in a sentence))

(1) Meaning (a)(1) Meaning (a) ((a) Generalities: a) Generalities:

(i) An English word must be connected with a French (i) An English word must be connected with a French word that has an equivalent meaning.word that has an equivalent meaning.

(ii) Sometimes, knowing one French word will help you (ii) Sometimes, knowing one French word will help you learn anotherlearn another

(iii) Usually, there is little similarity between words.(iii) Usually, there is little similarity between words.

Meaning (b)Meaning (b) (b) Cognates: sometimes two words are the (b) Cognates: sometimes two words are the

same or very similar in both English and same or very similar in both English and French. These words are called cognates.French. These words are called cognates.

(table, la table)(table, la table) Faux-amisFaux-amis

sensiblesensiblephotographephotographe

(c) Idioms: when words in combination take on (c) Idioms: when words in combination take on a special meaning: a special meaning: faire la queuefaire la queue

Classification (a)Classification (a) English and French words are classified in eight English and French words are classified in eight

categories traditionally called parts of speech.categories traditionally called parts of speech.

nounnoun articlearticleverbverb adverbadverbpronounpronoun prepositionprepositionadjectiveadjective conjunctionconjunction

Classification (b)Classification (b)Eg: ‘what’:Eg: ‘what’: (1) (1) What’sWhat’s happening? happening?

(2) (2) WhatWhat time is it? time is it?

(3) Do (3) Do whatwhat you want! you want!

Classification (b)Classification (b)eg: ‘what’:eg: ‘what’: (1) interrogative pronoun: ‘(1) interrogative pronoun: ‘ququ’est-ce ’est-ce

qui se qui se passe?passe?

(2) determiner: ‘(2) determiner: ‘quellequelle heure est-il?’ heure est-il?’

(3) relative pronoun without (3) relative pronoun without antecedent:antecedent:‘‘fais fais ce quece que tu veux’ tu veux’

(3) Use (a)(3) Use (a) A word must be identified according to A word must be identified according to

the role it plays in the sentence.the role it plays in the sentence.

Each word plays a specific roleEach word plays a specific role

Determining this role or function will Determining this role or function will help you to choose the correct French help you to choose the correct French equivalent and to know what rules to equivalent and to know what rules to apply.apply.

Use (b)Use (b)Functions:Functions:

subjectsubject direct objectdirect object indirect objectindirect object object of a prepositionobject of a preposition

Ex. Zidane headbutted the wise-crackerEx. Zidane headbutted the wise-cracker Zidane delivered a headbutt to the wise-Zidane delivered a headbutt to the wise-

crackercracker

Subject of the sentenceSubject of the sentence The The subjectsubject of a sentence is the of a sentence is the

person, place, thing, or idea that is person, place, thing, or idea that is doingdoing or or beingbeing something. something.

You can find the subject of a You can find the subject of a sentence if you can find the sentence if you can find the verb..

Ask the question, "Who or what Ask the question, "Who or what 'verbs' or 'verbed'?" and the answer 'verbs' or 'verbed'?" and the answer to that question is the subject. to that question is the subject.

e.g. e.g. Je suis allJe suis allé en vacancesé en vacances

Direct objectDirect object A A direct objectdirect object is a noun or pronoun is a noun or pronoun

that receives the that receives the actionaction of a verb or of a verb or shows the shows the resultresult of the action. of the action.

It answers the It answers the questionquestion "What?" or "What?" or "Whom?" after an action verb. "Whom?" after an action verb.

A verb which takes a direct object is A verb which takes a direct object is called a called a transitive verbtransitive verb. .

e.g. e.g. Il a vu PierreIl a vu Pierre

Indirect objectIndirect object The indirect object is the noun or The indirect object is the noun or

pronoun that receives the direct pronoun that receives the direct object.object.

Typically, an indirect object can Typically, an indirect object can be found by asking who or what be found by asking who or what received the direct object.received the direct object.

e.g. J’ai envoye.g. J’ai envoyé une lettre à Jean.é une lettre à Jean.

Object of a prepositionObject of a preposition Prepositions are small words that Prepositions are small words that

create a relationship between other create a relationship between other words in a sentence by linking phrases words in a sentence by linking phrases to the rest of the sentence: to the rest of the sentence: à, de, dans, entre

The nouns that follow them are objects of the preposition.

e.g. e.g. Sophie a donnSophie a donné une lettre à é une lettre à PierrePierre..

Use (c)Use (c)‘‘what’what’ WhatWhat is on the table? is on the table?

WhatWhat is she doing? is she doing?

WhatWhat are you talking about? are you talking about?

Use (c)Use (c)‘‘what’what’ WhatWhat is on the table? Qu’est-ce is on the table? Qu’est-ce quiqui est sur la est sur la

table?table?(Subject)(Subject)

WhatWhat is she doing? Qu’est-ce is she doing? Qu’est-ce ququ’elle fait?’elle fait?(Direct object)(Direct object)

WhatWhat are you talking about? are you talking about?(Object of a preposition) tu parles de (Object of a preposition) tu parles de quoiquoi??

What is a noun?What is a noun?

A personA person A placeA place A thing or animalA thing or animal An idea (peace, love, grief etc.)An idea (peace, love, grief etc.)

Proper NounsProper Nouns Common NounsCommon Nouns

What is gender?What is gender? In English, the gender corresponds to In English, the gender corresponds to

the sex of the person we are replacing the sex of the person we are replacing (masculine, feminine, neuter – the (masculine, feminine, neuter – the tree in front of me is an oak.)tree in front of me is an oak.)

What about “she is a fine ship”?What about “she is a fine ship”?

In French, has to be either masculine In French, has to be either masculine or feminineor feminine

No neuterNo neuter

What is number?What is number? When a word refers to one person or When a word refers to one person or

thing = singularthing = singular When a word refers to more than one When a word refers to more than one

= plural= plural Collective nouns refer to a group of Collective nouns refer to a group of

persons or things but they are persons or things but they are considered to be singular, e.g. a JF considered to be singular, e.g. a JF language class has 10-12 people in it.language class has 10-12 people in it.