THE VERB AVOIR, INTERROGATIVELY AND AFFIRMATIVELY 108. In interrogations, the pronoun, which is the subject of the verb, is placed after it, and they are joined by an hyphen, ai-je? In compound tenses, the pronoun is placed immediately after the auxiliary ai-je eu? When the third person singular of the verb ends with a vowel, -t- is placed between the verb, and il, elle, in order to avoid the hiatus occa sioned by the meeting of the two vowels: a-t-il ? aura-t-il? This applies to on : aura-t-on ? Have I had good friends? Have we had much fortune? Had he good shoes? Had they looking glasses? soulier m. f. miroir m. PRETERIT ANTERIOR. Hadst thou had lace? Had you had odoriferous shrubs ? odoriférant 2 arbuste m. 1 dentelle f. FUTURE ABSOLUTE. Shall I have gold and silver? Shall we have (good luck)? Shouldst thou have happy moments? Would you have good heureux m. Would he have had uncommon patience? Would they have had extraordinaire rich clothes. habit m. THE SAME VERB INTERROGATIVELY AND NEGATIVELY. 109. This form is the same as the preceding, except that the first negative ne is placed before the verb, and the second, pas or point, after the pronoun: ai-je ? n'ai-je pas? ai-je eu? n'ai-je pas eu? EXAMPLES. n'a-t-elle pas beaucoup d'esprit ? n'avons-nous pas eu de bons procédés ? n'aviez-vous pas eu de nouvelles robes ? n'aura-t-il pas de ressources ? has she not a great deal of wit? have we not had considerate regards? had you not had new gowns? will he have no resources? 109. (bis). It has been said (107) that, after negations, de must be used before the noun substantive, without any regard to its gender or number, instead of du, de la, des, used in affirmative sentences: as je n'ai pas d'argent, elle n'a pas d'amis. Yet, in interrogative and negative sentences, there are some cases when du, de la, des, may be used, and others when de must: thus, 1st. n'ai-je pas du mépris pour lui? n'avez-vous pas des livres ? n'avez-vous pas de l'argent? 2nd, n'avez-vous pas de livres ? n'avez-vous pas d'argent? have I not contempt for him? Although the first examples are under the interrogative form, they are intended for affirmations. By a figure, called litote, one form has been substituted to another, thereby to convey more meaning than the simple assertions j'ai du mépris. pour lui; vous avez des livres ; vous avez de l'argent, would be able to do. Thus, for instance, you complain of being dull, how can that be, have you not books? instead of saying since you have books? EXAMPLES. n'ai-je pas des livres ? have I no books? will they have had no consola- In the second examples, on the contrary, nothing but mere questions is intended, there is no substitution of form, no other meaning understood, but the one expressed. The difference is also somewhat marked in English. IMPERFECT. Had he not a rigid censor? Had they not inattentive children? sévère 2 censeur m.1 PLUPERFECT. =2 enfant m.1 Had I not had other views? Had we not had amethysts, rubies, autre vue f.pl. améthyste f. rubis m. PRETERIT ANTERIOR. Had he not had too studied expressions? Had they not had excellent models? modèle m. 2 recherché -f.1 FUTURE ABSOLUTE. Wilt thou not have a more regular conduct? Will you not have plus 2 réglé 3 conduite f.l fashionable dresses? à la mode 2 robe f.l FUTURE ANTERIOR. Shall we have had sufficient time then? assez de temps CONDITIONAL. PRESENT. Should she not have clear and just ideas? Would they not have clair 2 3 f. 1 more extensive knowledge? 2 étendu 3 connaissances f.pl.1 PAST. Would she not have had any objection? Would they have had no reward? rérompense f. |