What are the obscure tenses? Subjunctive imperfect? Plus-que-parfait subjunctives? Subjunctive futures? What? I'm curious to know.
EDIT: Never mind. Apparently you think the passé simple is obscure. I would venture to guess that about 50% of the verbs used in Le Rouge et Le Noir are passé simple. I don`t find it unusual at all. In fact, I think I have a problem with wanting to use it in spoken French. Je fus fatigué. Nous vinmes hier. Lût-il le livre? These are just the ones that I remember off the top of my head. Je le fis.
EDIT: Never mind. Apparently you think the passé simple is obscure. I would venture to guess that about 50% of the verbs used in Le Rouge et Le Noir are passé simple. I don`t find it unusual at all. In fact, I think I have a problem with wanting to use it in spoken French. Je fus fatigué. Nous vinmes hier. Lût-il le livre? These are just the ones that I remember off the top of my head. Je le fis.
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
This message last edited by Tom on 13/12/2010 at 10:47:05 PM
Maurice Druon - The Accursed Kings
- 13/12/2010 08:19:21 PM
7700 Views
Thank you for giving this review - I had forgotten the name of the author and series.
- 13/12/2010 09:29:59 PM
1574 Views
You're welcome (and thanks for the correction, edited).
- 13/12/2010 10:23:55 PM
1608 Views
I know it's not "literary". (EDITED)
- 13/12/2010 10:42:33 PM
1504 Views
And with regard to your edit, I don't have a problem with passé simples myself.
- 13/12/2010 10:53:59 PM
1930 Views
But how can one read any French literature at all without encountering the passé simple?
- 15/12/2010 03:39:37 AM
1729 Views
The point is it is a "literary" tense
- 15/12/2010 10:19:59 AM
1714 Views
Why would I read a lower style of book (I won't use the term "literature" to describe them) ?
- 16/12/2010 06:11:36 AM
1513 Views
I don't want to start a fight here, but your attitude is seriously starting to grate.
- 16/12/2010 06:54:30 PM
1783 Views
I don't care. Start a fight.
- 16/12/2010 08:24:22 PM
1686 Views
Well, or we can have a civil debate on French culture, I suppose... also fun. 
- 16/12/2010 09:09:20 PM
1672 Views
- 16/12/2010 09:09:20 PM
1672 Views
Well, I'm up for that, too.
- 17/12/2010 05:48:39 AM
1659 Views
Good.
- 17/12/2010 09:01:37 PM
2015 Views
- 17/12/2010 09:01:37 PM
2015 Views
Ah - I support the subjunctive!!!
- 18/12/2010 05:10:38 AM
1876 Views
But you don't think its disappearance corresponds to a decline in American culture?
- 18/12/2010 01:29:43 PM
1661 Views
- 18/12/2010 01:29:43 PM
1661 Views
About the passé simple, what Camilla said. As for medieval vocabulary...
- 15/12/2010 07:17:44 PM
1680 Views
That looks like a really fascinating series.
- 13/12/2010 10:56:52 PM
1628 Views
Step up your French lessons!!!
- 13/12/2010 11:50:21 PM
1816 Views
That is a great reason to learn French.
- 14/12/2010 07:29:54 PM
1538 Views
*NM*
Ooooh
- 14/12/2010 07:41:03 PM
1466 Views
I'm really not quite sure how you managed that.
- 14/12/2010 08:09:55 PM
1619 Views
- 14/12/2010 08:09:55 PM
1619 Views