Non, non pas, ne-pas, ne-point, point; no, not. OBSERVATION ON THE Adverb où. The adverb of place où, where, is most commonly and more elegantly turned into French by que after the two other adverbs, ici, here, là, there, to prevent the hiatus caused by the meeting of the two vowels; and sometimes after nouns expressing the place where something has happened, been done, or committed, especially when the sentence begins with the verb être, to be, used impersonally; as, it is, it was, it will be, &c. Ex. C'est ici que nous l'attendons ; Ce fut là que je le vis pour la it is here (where) we are waiting for him. it was there (where) I saw him for the first time. it was in full senate (where) Cæsar was inhumanly murdered. Observations on the adverbs non, non pas, ne, ne-pas, ne- NON, NON PAS. 1. Non, no, the opposite of oui, yes, never accompanies a verb. If non begins the sentence, and the verb is used negatively, that verb must be attended by another negation. Ex. L'avez-vous fait ? Non; have you done it? No. Le ferez-vous? Non, je ne le will you do it? No, I never ferai jamais; Dites oui ou non; will. say either yes or no. 2. Non is sometimes repeated to give a greater force to the negation. Ex. Non, non, je n'y consentirai No, no, I never will consent to jamais; it. 3. Non may be joined to an adjective, in order to give it a contrary meaning. Ex. Des gens non intéressés agi- disinterested people would act differently. raient autrement; 4. Oui and non are sometimes used substantively. Ex. Il ne répond presque jamais que he hardly ever answers but by par un oui ou par un non; yes or no. They are also frequently used after dire, croire, penser, imaginer, instead of a verb. Irez-vous ce soir? Je vous dis que c'est ainsi ; 5. Non and pas are often familiar conversation. Ex. Me permettez-vous de prendre cet œillet? Non pas, je vous en prie; Ex. Shall you go this evening? I believe not. used together, particularly in will you give me leave to take this carnation? I would rather you did not. Of the cases in which pas, point, are omitted. It has been remarked, page 28, that two negations, nepas, ne-point, are used in French. However, pas or point are suppressed, 1. After the verbs cesser, to cease; oser, to dare; pouvoir, to be able; and savoir, to know. Ex. Il ne cesse de parler; he talks incessantly. I dare not contradict her. I do not know where he is. 2. In interrogations of this kind— Est-il rien qui m'appartienne, is there any thing of mine, but dont vous ne puissiez dis poser ? Ai-je un protecteur, un ami, qui ne soit aussi le vôtre ? is at your disposal? have I a protector, a friend, who is not also yours? 3. When jamais, never, personne, nobody, aucun, none, are used. Ex. Il n'est personne que j'estime plus que Monsieur votre père; Ne lisez jamais des livres im moraux; there is no one I esteem more than your father. never read immoral books. 4. After prendre garde, meaning to take care, when followed by the conjunction que, which conjunction governs the following verb in the subjunctive. Ex. Prenez-garde que votre ami ne take care that your friend does commette cette imprudence; not commit this imprudence. 5. After the verbs which follow the conjunction que, governed by plus, more, moins, less, meilleur, mieux, better, or pire, worse, in sentences expressing a comparison. Ex. Votre sœur est beaucoup plus instruite qu'on ne pense; Vous êtes moins prudent que je ne croyais; Il écrit mieux qu'il ne faisait; your sister is much better in- he writes better than he did. she behaves better than she did. 6. When the English words nothing, but, only, are translated by ne-que; for in that case the negative indefinite pronoun RIEN is understood in French before the conjunc. tion que. Ex. Il ne fait que lire du matin au soir; Il n'a que six ans ; Je ne veux que votre bonheur; he does nothing but read from he is only six years old. 7. After the interrogative particle que, used at the beginning of a sentence, in the acceptation of pourquoi ? Why? Ex. Que n'êtes-vous venu plutôt ? why did you not come sooner? 8. After depuis que, since, or il y a -que, it is-since, when the verb following que is in the preterite indefinite or preterpluperfect, and the sentence expresses the time since which an action has not taken place. Depuis que nous n'avons été en France; Il y a deux ans que je ne l'ai vu; Il y avait trois mois que je n'avais vu votre sœur ; Ex. 9. When two negatives are joined by the conjunction ni, or when this conjunction comes before two nouns substantive or adjective, two pronouns, or two adverbs. Ex. Je n'aime ni n'estime Monsieur I neither love nor esteem Mr. B. B. Ni le pauvre ni le riche ne sont neither the poor nor the rich exempts de la mort; are exempt from death. 10. After the verb which follows the conjunction que, governed by the verb douter, to doubt, or nier, to deny, whenever these are used negatively. Also, before the verb that follows the conjunction que, when this is preceded by the verb craindre, or by one of these expressions,-de crainte que, de peur que, for fear that, if we do not wish that the action expressed by the following verb should take place. Ex. Je ne doute pas, je ne nie pas I do not doubt, I do not deny that he is arrived. we fear he is ill, or for fear he should be ill. Observation. If we wish that the action expressed after the conjunction following craindre, or de crainte, de peur, should take place, then pas or point must be expressed. Ex. Nous craignons qu'il ne soit we fear he is not arrived. pas arrivé; NE-PAS, NE-POINT. 1. Whenever the verb is in the present of the infinitive, either both parts of the negation ne pas or ne point may be placed before the verb, or the verb may be placed between them. Ex. Afin de n'être pas, or de ne pas in order not to be importunate. être importun; Pour ne pas souffrir, or ne souffrir pas ses insultes ; not to suffer his insults. 2. If the verb is in any of the simple tenses, ne must precede the verb, and pas or point come after it. Ex. Je ne parle pas ; I do not speak. 3. When the verb is in a compound tense, ne is to be placed before the auxiliary verb, and pas comes after it. Ex. Je n'ai pas parlé ; I have not spoken. PAs and point are not to be used indiscriminately. It is very proper to observe that point denies more strongly, and is more exclusive than pas. For example, if I say, Ce jeune homme ne parle POINT, it may be understood that he is dumb; but if I say, Ce jeune homme NE PARLE PAS, I mean, and it is understood, that at this moment he is not speaking. If I say of such a person, il ne dort PAS, it will be understood that he is not at present asleep; but if I say, il ne dort POINT, every body will understand that he cannot get any sleep. EXERCISE ON THESE ADVERBS. Do you see that tree yonder?—Thence, I went to France, and, soon after, après, p. to Germany.-If you go that way, you may (call at) Mr. H.'s. We are yet far from our pouvoir, v. passer chez house.I saw him yesterday, but it was at a distance.-You made me wait a long while.-From that time, I began commencer à to speak to him.--Does your son behave ill now ?—When I se conduire |