But how can one read any French literature at all without encountering the passé simple?
Tom Send a noteboard - 15/12/2010 03:39:37 AM
Look at the first chapter (not counting the introduction) of La Peste, which is one of the most "modern" French stories that I have:
Le matin du 16 avril, le docteur Bernard Rieux sortit de son cabinet et buta sur un rat mort, au milieu de palier. Sur le moment, il écarta la bête sans y prendre garde et descendit l'escalier.
We therefore have four conjugated verbs in two sentences, all of which are passé simple. I think it's safe to say that if someone is reading French books he is familiar with the passé simple.
Using outdated words of "chivallerie", as Chaucer would put it, is a different matter entirely. However, I doubt that Druon went so far as to use the mediaeval spellings of words...he didn't, did he? I think it's too late to cancel the order anyway, but that would grate on me after a while.
Le matin du 16 avril, le docteur Bernard Rieux sortit de son cabinet et buta sur un rat mort, au milieu de palier. Sur le moment, il écarta la bête sans y prendre garde et descendit l'escalier.
We therefore have four conjugated verbs in two sentences, all of which are passé simple. I think it's safe to say that if someone is reading French books he is familiar with the passé simple.
Using outdated words of "chivallerie", as Chaucer would put it, is a different matter entirely. However, I doubt that Druon went so far as to use the mediaeval spellings of words...he didn't, did he? I think it's too late to cancel the order anyway, but that would grate on me after a while.
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*
Maurice Druon - The Accursed Kings
- 13/12/2010 08:19:21 PM
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Thank you for giving this review - I had forgotten the name of the author and series.
- 13/12/2010 09:29:59 PM
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You're welcome (and thanks for the correction, edited).
- 13/12/2010 10:23:55 PM
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I know it's not "literary". (EDITED)
- 13/12/2010 10:42:33 PM
2049 Views
And with regard to your edit, I don't have a problem with passé simples myself.
- 13/12/2010 10:53:59 PM
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But how can one read any French literature at all without encountering the passé simple?
- 15/12/2010 03:39:37 AM
2291 Views
The point is it is a "literary" tense
- 15/12/2010 10:19:59 AM
2282 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
2057 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
2323 Views
I don't care. Start a fight.
- 16/12/2010 08:24:22 PM
2260 Views
Well, or we can have a civil debate on French culture, I suppose... also fun. 
- 16/12/2010 09:09:20 PM
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- 16/12/2010 09:09:20 PM
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Well, I'm up for that, too.
- 17/12/2010 05:48:39 AM
2245 Views
Good.
- 17/12/2010 09:01:37 PM
2593 Views
- 17/12/2010 09:01:37 PM
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Ah - I support the subjunctive!!!
- 18/12/2010 05:10:38 AM
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TANGENT
- 18/12/2010 09:56:31 AM
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This whole conversation is just a pile of tangents, anyway. *NM*
- 18/12/2010 01:30:09 PM
1038 Views
*NM*
- 18/12/2010 01:30:09 PM
1038 Views
But you don't think its disappearance corresponds to a decline in American culture?
- 18/12/2010 01:29:43 PM
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- 18/12/2010 01:29:43 PM
2239 Views
About the passé simple, what Camilla said. As for medieval vocabulary...
- 15/12/2010 07:17:44 PM
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That looks like a really fascinating series.
- 13/12/2010 10:56:52 PM
2168 Views
Step up your French lessons!!!
- 13/12/2010 11:50:21 PM
2381 Views
That is a great reason to learn French.
- 14/12/2010 07:29:54 PM
2080 Views
*NM*
Ooooh
- 14/12/2010 07:41:03 PM
2005 Views
I'm really not quite sure how you managed that.
- 14/12/2010 08:09:55 PM
2167 Views
- 14/12/2010 08:09:55 PM
2167 Views