PREPOSITIONS. § 27. The prepositions, it will be remembered, serve to establish a connexion between nouns and other words. But, as these connexions are not always considered from the same point of view in all languages, it follows that there exist considerable diversities in the meaning of prepositions. Now, as these little words recur in almost every sentence, it is evident that if we do not take care to employ them correctly, we shall fall into mistakes as frequent as they are strange. Here are some cases which most commonly mislead students : For. § 28. Do not always translate For by Pour. EXAMPLES: 1. They were at Windsor for three days. Ils ont été à Windsor pendant trois jours. 2. I will not come for a week. Je ne reviendrai pas d'ici à huit jours. 3. He inquired for you. Il a demandé après vous. 4. Do it for charity. Faites cela par charité. 5. For pity, For fear, For instance. Par pitié, Par crainte, Par exemple. 6. Champion for liberty. Champion de la liberté. With. § 29. Do not always translate With by Avec. EXAMPLES: 1. We must be contented with little. 2. The table was covered with plate. 3. They fought with swords. Ils se battirent à l'épée. 4. His name begins with a P. 5. To fill a bottle with wine. B 6. To starve with hunger. 7. I am tired with walking. Je suis fatigué de marcher. 8. She is gifted with a good memory. 9. Do not meddle with that affair. Ne vous mêlez pas de cette affaire. 10. His horses cost him, one with the other, forty pounds. Ses chevaux lui coûtent, l'un dans l'autre, quarante livres. 11. I am angry with you. Je suis fâché contre vous. In. § 30. Do not always translate In by Dans. EXAMPLES: 1. Is he arrived in time? Est-il arrivé à temps? 2. In a few minutes. En quelques instants. 3. In the fifteenth century. 4. In the reign of Tiberius. 5. He lived in the country. Il demeurait à la campagne. 6. My servant participated in that plot. Mon domestique avait pris part à ce complot. 7. You must begin in that manner. Vous devez commencer de cette manière. 8. You spend all your time in talking. 10. The Spanish hats are much in fashion. 11. My sister paints in oil. Ma sœur peint à l'huile. 12. To be in the sun. Être au soleil. 13. She was the best spinner in the parish. 14. It was five in the morning. Il était cinq heures du matin. By. § 31. Do not always translate By by Par. EXAMPLES: 1. He works too much by candlelight. 2. Sit down by my side. Asseyez-vous à côté de moi. 3. What time is it by your watch? Quelle heure est-il à votre montre? 4. I must come back by seven o'clock. Il faut que je revienne à sept heures. 5. You will oblige me by writing a note. Vous m'obligerez en écrivant un petit mot. 6. They began by counting. Ils commencèrent à compter. 7. By studying constantly you will improve. 8. She keeps money by herself. Elle garde de l'argent par devers elle. To and At. § 32. Do not always translate To and At by À. EXAMPLES: 1. You ought to be civil to everybody. Vous devez être poli envers tout le monde. 2. Will you go to your brother's? Irez-vous chez votre frère? 3. I was going to Italy. J'allais en Italie. 4. He was at sea. Il était en mer. 5. Wordsworth lived to a very great age. Wordsworth vécut jusqu'à un âge très-avancé. 6. It is ten chances to one that he will succeed. Il y a dix chances contre une qu'il réussira. 7. They were twenty to one. Ils étaient vingt contre un. 8. They laughed at him. Ils se moquèrent de lui. 9. We were at the 30th degree of latitude. Nous étions par 30 degrés de latitude. 10. Heir to the crown. Héritier de la couronne. Of and From. § 33. Do not always translate Of and From by De. EXAMPLES: 1. I have been sensible of your kindness. J'ai été sensible à vos bontés. 2. I thought of your advice. Prenez garde à cette faute. 4. His property consists of three farms. On and Upon. § 34. Do not always translate On and Upon by Sur $35. EXAMPLES: 1. On these solemn occasions. Dans ces occasions solennelles. 2. On this condition. À cette condition. 3. He lives upon bread and milk. 4. It depends upon your conduct. 5. He plays upon the flute. 6. On your return. A votre retour. About, Out of, Till, Under. 1. I have no money about me. 3. His friends were all about him. Ses amis étaient tous autour de lui. 5. They drank out of the bottle. 6. I will not come till Monday. 7. Under such circumstances. Dans de pareilles circonstances. 1ST OBSERVATION. § 36. There are other cases where the English preposition is not to be translated at all. EXAMPLES: 1. Listen to your master. 2. Wait for your sister. Attendez votre sœur. 3. We asked for the bill. Nous avons demandé la note. 4. They looked at the flowers. Ils regardèrent les fleurs. 5. I met with your father. J'ai rencontré votre père. 6. We arrived early in the morning. Nous sommes arrivés le matin de bonne heure. 7. I will come on Thursday. Je viendrai jeudi. 8. He was born on the 9th of March 1814. Il naquit le neuf Mars mil huit cent quatorze. 9. He pays too much for his whistle. Il paie trop le sifflet. 2D OBSERVATION. § 37. Also, on the contrary, there are cases in which a preposition must be employed in French, though there is none in English. EXAMPLES: 1. They enjoy all the comforts of this life. Ils jouissent de tous les plaisirs de la vie. 2. We were approaching the cottage. Nous nous approchions de la chaumière. 3. He does not remember you. Il ne se souvient pas de vous. 4. He forgave his son. Il a pardonné à son fils. 5. Obey your parents. Obéissez à vos parents. 6. She pleased my mother. Elle plut à ma mère. 7. Louis XIV. survived his grandson. 8. We must repent our errors. Nous devons nous repentir de nos fautes. 9. Henry VII, succeeded Richard III. Henry VII. succéda à Richard III. 10. T. Moore opposed the king. T. Morus résista au roi. 11. I asked my sister what it was. Je demandai à ma sœur ce que c'était. 12. She entered a cottage. Elle entra dans une chaumière. |