French Language

Discuss and learn French: French vocabulary, French grammar, French culture etc.

French Vocab Games app for iPhone/iPad French-English dictionary French grammar French vocab/phrases

For the latest updates, follow @FrenchUpdates on Twitter!

On émet 4 fois plus de C02 que la planete n'est capable d'en absorber. 

i don't understand the placement of "ne."  i've seen it used in other sentences where i also couldn't understand it.  

 

Views: 449

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

I am waiting for Chantal to drop in as I expect you are .

The best I can suggest is to try using this "ne" in a few random sentences and to see if it "sounds right"

I enjoy the usage but cannot work out the rationale for it,but there must surely be one even if only as some kind of a linguistic remnant from earlier times.

Aha,I think we've been here before

http://www.forum.french-linguistics.co.uk/forum/topics/n-est-pas-si...

Seems it is the pleonastic  "ne" and it can be triggered  by the comparative.

Hello Alan.

This "ne" is called "explétif". It means that this "ne" is not mandatory.

It's not really a negative form, it's more a comparative form. It's used when there is a fear or a doubt about something.

This "ne" is used to have a formal language.  But without this "ne" it's right too.

On émet 4 fois plus de C02 que la planete est capable d'en absorber.

On émet 4 fois plus de C02 que la planete n'est capable d'en absorber.

These two sentences are equal and means the same thing.

since the form is used in formal french, i'll assume it's unlikely that i'll hear it tho i can come across it in reading.   so i'll ignore using it.  i'm glad i finally had it explained. 

i'll b sending vocabulary this week for u to check and explain.  i have plenty to study on my own, so no problem waiting to incorporate new vocabulary to my study list.   i still take sentences sometimes from the dictionary and these i definitely need checked.  but most of the new vocab is coming from written news articles or youtube so i'm seeing them used in everyday french.  

About "formal language", I think we have to clarify some things.

I know 3 groups in french, I don't know how many there are in english, and if theses groups are the same  :

- langage familier : informal, slang, .... 

- langage courant = everyday language

- langage soutenu = formal language

I have a precision to add :

I put this "ne" in "formal language".I have a doubt about "formal" language.  Maybe it's  every day language for educate people.

You may hear this sentence in tv news or from educate people, not only in writing news.

It's not infrequent and because of the theme "CO2" and planète,  I think this sentence is always said like that (with the word "ne")

But a sentence like  "il achète 4 fois plus de pain qu'il en mange" has the same structure, but the topic is minor, so the word "ne" isn't always said.   

never use "precision" this way.  use "clarification" or "distinction."  

"educated" people.  maybe u just forgot to add the "d."  

"written" news not "writing"

interesting that the "ne" doesn't appear in an insignificant idea.  but i guess for me, it's just best to make no attempt to ever use it and if i encounter it, i'll know to ignore it.  

specification would also b a good choice for "precision."   

RSS

Follow BitterCoffey on Twitter

© 2024   Created by Neil Coffey.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service