A.-The Noun-Object or Noun-Complement used without Preposition. § 9. I. (a) The Direct Object, i.e. the Object used without Preposition, corresponding to the Latin accusative, stands after all kinds of Transitive Verbs; as, La pluie arrose la terre. Joseph eut un songe. Nous le suivîmes jusqu'au bout. The rain moistens (bedews) the earth. Joseph had a dream. We followed him to the end. That is the object I have in view. Obs. 1. Some Verbs take a Direct Object in French which in English require a Preposition; as, Que cherchez-vous? A-t-on résolu la paix ou la guerre. What are you looking for? The principal of these are: admettre, to admit of; approuver, to approve of; regarder, to look at (upon); attendre, to wait for; chercher, to look for; désirer, to wish for; envoyer chercher, to send for; rencontrer, to meet with. Obs. 2. A few Intransitive Verbs-as, aller, courir, causer, sentir, jouer, admit of being used transitively; jouer grand jeu (Comp. Lat. Ludere ludum). Some also may-in strict analogy with Latin-become transitive by taking a prefix; as, parcourir un champ, endormir un enfant, encourir une amende. (b) Verbs which indicate Making, Believing, Naming, Appointing, and the like (Factitive Verbs) may take an Object and a Complement of that Object; as, L'égoïste se fait le centre de tout. Le roi le créa colonel sur le champ de bataille. Je vous crois honnête homme. The egotist makes himself the centre-point of everything. The king made him colonel on the battle-field. I believe you to be an honest man. But Verbs of Asking and Teaching do not, as they do in Latin and English, take two Direct Objects; the Person taught or asked must stand as an Indirect Object; as, J'enseigne la grammaire à mes élèves. Je lui demandai une question. I teach my pupils grammar. I asked him a question. On faire followed by an Infinitive with an Object, see § 81. § 10. II. Adverbial Phrases answering the questions. when? how long? how far? how much? being generally used without prepositions, may be classed here as Accusatives of Time, Place, Measure; as, Il vint me voir le lendemain. Ce cheval a été vendu deux mille francs. Je continuai mon chemin l'espace de six milles. He called upon me on the next day. This horse has been sold for 2,000 francs. I walked on for a distance of six miles. Obs. 1. Corresponding to the Latin Ablative Absolute, there is in French what might be termed a Nominative or Accusative Absolute; as, Quant à nous, le fusil sur l'épaule, nous montâmes toute la nuit. Les Juifs mangeaient l'agneau pascal, debout, les reins ceints, et un bâton à la main. Obs. 2. In the Prepositions voici, voilà, the Verb voir retains its transitive force; as, Me voici; te voilà. L'homme que voilà. Here I am; there you are. B.-The Noun-Object or Noun-Complement governed by "à." § II. GENERAL PRINCIPLES.—à has a much wider range of functions than the English to, or the Latin ad and ab (from which it is derived), corresponding as it does, to other Prepositions-as, at, for, from, with, in, by, on, in English, and to the Dative case together with various Prepositions in Latin. To understand this multiplicity of functions devolving upon à, it must be borne in mind that already in the classical period of Latin the Preposition ad was doing duty for the Dative case, and that in Medieval Latin it assumed the meanings of cum and apud. Dictionary, under à). SPECIAL RULES. (See Brachet's Etymological N.B. If the Remoter Object is a Personal Pronoun, the Conjunctive form (§ 26) without à must be used. § 12. I. à is used to denote the Remoter Object— (a) after verbs of Giving, Adding, Telling, Showing, and the like; as, Il donne son bien aux pauvres. Elle lui a dévoué sa vie. L'ambition seule leur inspira Faites-moi voir vos tableaux. He gives his property to the poor. She has devoted her life to him. I shall contribute to it for my share. Ambition alone suggested these crimes to them. Show me your pictures. (b) quite contrary to English usage, after verbs of Taking, Removing, Borrowing, Wanting, Asking, Refusing, etc.; as, On a ôté le pain à cette famille. Je lui ai acheté un volume qu'il m'a fait payer cher. L'homme opulent se couche lorsque l'autre s'arrache au sommeil. Il leur faut de l'argent. They have deprived this family of its livelihood. I bought of him a volume for which he charged me a high price. The opulent man betakes himself to rest when other people arouse themselves from sleep. They want money. They asked her what she wanted. (c) after all kinds of Intransitive Verbs, before the names of persons and things for whom, or in respect of whom, an action is done (corresponding to the Lat. Dat. Commodi); as, Many verbs of this class require no Preposition in English; as, conseiller à, commander à, convenir à, demander à, se fier à, nuire à, obéir à, ordonner à, parvenir à, plaire (déplaire) à, remédier à, renoncer à, répondre à, résigner à, résister à, ressembler à, subvenir à, succéder à, survivre à, toucher à, etc. Obs. 1. For constructions like-je lui serrai la main, I shook his hand, see § 38. Obs. 2. What in Classic languages is called the ethic dative is of frequent use in French : Qu'on me l'égorge, qu'on me lui fasse griller les pieds, qu'on me le mette dans l'eau bouillante. Ohs. 3. Je trouve à votre sœur l'air un peu triste. Je lui crois de grands moyens. It strikes me your sister looks rather sad. I ascribe to him (give him credit for) great abilities. (d) after the verb être, answering the question whose? as, Le moulin est à moi, Tout aussi bien, du moins, que la Prusse est au roi. The mill is mine, as much so at least, as Prussia is the king's. Thus also emphatically with the verb avoir : Il n'a rien à lui. He has nothing of his own. § 13. II. à is used in conjunction with Nouns to form Adverbial Complements denoting— (a) the Manner in which, or the Instrument with which, an action is done; answering the questions how? by what means? wherewith? as, Obs. Here may be classed adverbial complements answering the question at what rate? as, Le sucre se vend au poids. Nous prendrons ce fiacre à l'heure. (b) the Time when, the Sugar is sold by the pound. We shall hire this cab by the hour. Circumstances under which an action is done; answering the questions when? until when? on what occasion? as, Autrefois on dînait à midi. Je l'attends à tout moment Je m'éveillai au bruit de la In times of old one used to I expect him immediately. I awoke in the roar of the storm. (c) the Place where an action is done, or the Direction towards which a motion is tending; answering the questions where? where to? whither? how far? as, Un homme est à la mer ! Il est toujours à cheval sur Obs. Les fleuves vont à la mer. Nous remontâmes à cheval. If the complement is a Personal Pronoun, then the Disjunctive form (§ 35, 3) must be used; compare |