Cut half a Coupez en yard. aune f. The late princess was idolized. -cesse Do not stand in the cold air (without your hat). Ne restez pas art. tête f. nu à l'air. chéri OF THE FORMATION OF THE PLURAL OF FRENCH ADJECTIVES. 45. GENERAL RULE. The formation of the plural in adjectives follows the same rules as those given for the plural of substantives. All adjectives having the feminine termination in e mute, or ending in e, i, u, c, d, g, f, n, t, form their plural by the addition of an s, as aimable, aimables; docile, dociles; poli, polis; goulu, goulus; grand, grands; long, longs. This rule applies to the participles past, aimé, aimés; reçu, reçus, etc. EXCEPTIONS. 1. Adjectives ending in -s, or -x, do not change their termination in the plural, as gros, gras, hideur. 2. Those ending in -au, take x in the plural, as beau, beaux, nouveau, nouveauх. Those in -al, change this termination into aux, as égal, equal, égaux; général, généraux; but most of these have no plural masculine, as amical, austral, boréal, canonial, conjugal, diamétral, fatal, filial, final, frugal, jovial, lustral, matinal, naval, pastoral, pectoral, spécial, vénal, and some others. Canonical, clérical, conjectural, colossal, déloyal, diaconal, ducal, électoral, équinoxial, final, fiscal, are seldom used in the plural masculine; wherever they are, they follow the general rule. Amical, automnal, colossal, frugal, glacial, jovial, total have no plural masculine. Pascal makes pascals, but fatals ought to be avoided. 4. Polysyllables ending in -nt, according to general practice, may drop the t in the plural, as excellent, excellens; but the Academy keep the t, (see page 86). Monosyllables retain it, as lent, slow, lents; but the adjective tout, all, makes tous. gras art. Hibou m. pl. des beautiful jewels. The bijou m. pl. de beau Men are two new operas deux nouveau -m. pl. only equal (in the) infirmities of art. 2 ne 1 que 4 égal 3 par les == m. pl. sont His improvement is slow, but solid. All his friends have ses ami m. pl. him. Those ladies are tired with dame f. pl. las de été bien aise de voir 2 le 1 ces walking. You have powerful enemies; but their efforts ennemi m. pl. seront inutile quatre 2 point pl. 1 46. Grammarians commonly reckon three degrees of comparison; the positive, the comparative, and the superlative. The positive is the adjective expressing the quality of an object, without any increase or diminution, as beau, belle. EXAMPLES. A child gentle, umiable, and docile, is beloved by every body enfant m. doux aimable aimé de tout le monde An ingenuous candour, an amiable simplicity and a lively nu 2 =f. 1. artlessness are the charm naïveté f.1. piquant 2 =f. youth. The sight of an agreeable of landscape is a varied and rapid source agréable vue f. of delightful sensations. délicieux 2 -f.pl.1. 47. The comparative is so called, because it draws a comparison between two or many objects. When two things are compared, the one is either superior, inferior, or equal to the other; hence three sorts of comparison, that of superiority, of inferiority, and equality. The comparative of superiority is formed by putting plus, more, before the adjective, and than is rendered by que. EXAMPLES. La rose est plus belle que la vio- The rose is more beautiful than lette. the violet. By, in comparison before a noun of number, is rendered by de. Lacedemon. Homer was perhaps a greater genius than Virgil; Lacédémone Homère était peut-être grand génie m. Virgile but Virgil had a more delicate and more refined taste than Home. délicat 3 goût m. 1. h m. epic autre épique 3 Milton appears (to me) more sublime than all the other paraît 2 me 1 poets. The river is deeper by four feet. rivière f. profond The comparative of inferiority is formed by prefixing moins, less, to the adjective, and rendering also than by que. EXAMPLES. La violette est moins belle que la The violet is less beautiful than Shipwreck and death art. Naufrage m. art. mort f. are less fatal than the pleasures which funestes plaisirs m. qui virtue. The violet is less brilliant to the eye than the attack attaquent art. f. lily, a true f. emblem lis m. * véritable 2 emblème m. 1. art. f. de art. orgueil m In the comparative of equality the first as is rendered by aussi in affirmative, and by si, in negative phrases; the second as is rendered by que. EXAMPLE. La tulipe est aussi belle que la rose. the tulip is as beautiful as the rose. La tulipe n'est pas si belle que la the tulip is not so beautiful as the Pope's images are as perfect as his style is harmonious. De Pope 2 art. -f.pl.1. rue genius. The love of our neighbour is as necessary in amour du * prochain art. vrai génie m. society for the happiness of life, as in art. = pour bonheur m. art. vie f. art. = dans christianity for -nisme m. eternal salvation. It is as easy to do good as to do art. nel 2 salut m. 1. aisé de faire art. bien m. de evil. Paris is not so large as London. James will not be art. mal m. — m. grand Londres Jacques ne sera pas so rich as his brother. riche son frère. Meilleur, pire, moindre are the comparatives of bon, mauvais, petit, which are irregular in the formation of the degrees. Thus : 48. N.B. As most beginners are apt to confound these comparative adjectives with the comparative adverbs, MIEUX, PIS, and MOINS, because they are generally rendered by the same English words better, worse and less, it may be advisable to subjoin here these comparative adverbs with their positives, that the difference of meaning may serve as a distinction. ADJECTIVES. ADVERBS. Meilleur, better, is the comparative of bon, good, and is used instead of plus bon, which is never said. Pire signifies plus mauvais, worse, or more wicked, and is used instead of this. Moindre means plus petit, less, or smaller, and is used instead of these terms. Mieux,* better, is the comparative of bien, weli, (and is used instead of plus bien, more well, which is said in neither language. Pis is the comparative of mal, badly, and is used for plus mal, worse, which, however, may be used. Moins is the comparative of peu, little, and is used for plus peu, which is never said. *There are some instances of pis and mieux nsed adjectively, but this is not the place to mention them. |