16 May 2000

1.1.11.2 Derivation and word class shifts, in L'Huillier, Advanced French Grammar


presentation of L'Huillier's work, by Corry Shores

[Site Topic Directory]

[Subsection headings are my own]

Monique L'Huillier

Advanced French Grammar

1. Framework

1.1 Parts of Speech

1.1.11 Synonyms, homonyms, derivation and word class shifts

1.1.11.2 Derivation and word class shifts

We may use proper or improper derivation to derive a part of speech from another one.

(i) Proper derivation

Ex,

noun: courage adjective: courageux

verb: conserver noun: conservateur ; adjective: conservateur

verb: aimer adjective: aimable

adjective: beau verb: embellir

adjective: jaune verb: jaunir

The suffixes of such words aid us in distinguishing the different parts of speech.

(ii) Improper derivation

Ex,

verb: effrayer adjective: effrayant (from present participle)

verb: passer noun: un passant (from present participle)

verb: percevoir adjective: perçu (from past participle)

verb: mourir noun: un mort (from past participle)

verb: devoir noun: un devoir (from infinitive)

adjective: rouge noun: le rouge

A word like this can be a different part of speech, depending on its syntactical context.

Ex,

Elle porte un pantalon bleu [adj].

She’s wearing bleu trousers.

Je n’aime pas le bleu.

I don’t like (the colour) blue.



L'Huillier, Monique. Advanced French Grammar. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999.
More information and limited preview available at:


14 May 2000

1.1.11.1.2 Examples of homographs in parts of speech, in L'Huillier, Advanced French Grammar


presentation of L'Huillier's work, by Corry Shores

[Site Topic Directory]

[Subsection headings are my own]



Monique L'Huillier


Advanced French Grammar


1. Framework


1.1 Parts of Speech


1.1.11 Synonyms, homonyms, derivation and word class shifts


1.1.11.1 Synonyms and homonyms


1.1.11.1.2 Examples of homographs in parts of speech


(i) que

Que is a relative pronoun object. It introduces a relative clause, and it has an antecedent.

Ex:

Je vais vous montrer les photos que j’ai prises l’année dernière.


Que is also a conjunction of subordination. It introduces a que-clause (complétive):

Ex,

Il est essential que vous soyez à l’heure demain.

Je pense que les Dupont viendront.



(ii) leur

Leur is a personal (indirect) object pronoun.

Ex,

Elle parle à ses chats Elle leur parle.


Leur is also a possessive adjective. When the possessor is plural and the possessed thing is singular, then we use just ‘leur.’

Ex,

C’est leur chat.

But if the possessed thing is plural, then we use ‘leurs.’

Ex,

Ce sont leurs chats.


And thus, leur may serve as two different parts of speech for the same sentence.

Ex,

On leur a rendu leur chat / leurs chats.



(iii.) en

En can be

(iii.a) a preposition.

If so, it can be used either

(iii.a.1) before a noun,

Ex,

C’est une montre en or.

or

(iii.a.2) before a present participle (gerund)

Ex,

En allant au marché, j’ai rencontré . . .


or, en can be

(iii.b) a personal object pronoun. If so, it can be either

(iii.b.1) direct,

Ex,

J’ai acheté des cerises J’en ai acheté.

or

(iii.b.2) indirect

Ex,

J’ai besoin de la voiture J’en ai besoin.


And also, en may be an adverbial pronoun.

Ex,

Je reviens juste de Paris J’en reviens.


So we see that en can occur twice in the same sentence, each time as a different part of speech.

Ex,

Ne prenez que quatre comprimés : en en prenant plus, vous risqueriez des ennuis.


(iv) y

Y can be a personal (indirect) object pronoun.

Ex,

Mes prochaines vacances ? J’y pense souvent.


Or, y can be an adverbial pronoun

Ex,

Je vais à Paris demain J’y vais demain.


(v) le, la, les, l’

They can be definite articles.

Ex,

le chat, la chèvre, les animaux, l’asticot


Or, they can be personal (direct) object pronouns

Ex,

Mon chat? Je le fais garder quand je pars en vacances.

Tu as les mains sales. Va te les laver.


(vi) du, des

Du can be a partitive article, and des an indefinite article :

Ex,

J’ai acheté du chocolat et des bonbons.


Or, du may be the contraction of the preposition de + the definite article le. And, des can be the contraction of the preposition de + the definite article les.

Ex,

Le bureau du (= de + le) directeur est à votre gauche.

C’est le chat des (= de + les) voisins.



L'Huillier, Monique. Advanced French Grammar. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999.
More information and limited preview available at:



13 May 2000

1.1.11.1 Synonyms and homonyms, defined, in L'Huillier, Advanced French Grammar


presentation of L'Huillier's work, by Corry Shores

[Subsection headings are my own]



Monique L'Huillier

Advanced French Grammar

1. Framework

1.1 Parts of Speech



1.1.11 Synonyms, homonyms, derivation and word class shifts


1.1.11.1 Synonyms and homonyms


1.1.11.1.1 Definitions


a) synonyms


A synonym is another word with the identical meaning, or at least a similar one.


Ex:

redouter, craindre, avoir peur de

b) homonyms


There are two classes of homonyms:


b1) homophones


A homophone is a word that shares the same vocal sound with another word, yet it has a different spelling and meaning.


Ex:

saint, sein, seing [signature], sain [sɛ̃]

vin, vain [vɛ̃]

Troie, Troyes, trois, [tʀwa]

au, eau [o]

mer, mère, maire, [mɛʁ]


b2) homographs


A homograph is a word that we spell the same as another word, yet they have unrelated meanings.


Ex:

(un boulet de) canon, un canon (de beauté)






L'Huillier, Monique. Advanced French Grammar. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999.
More information and limited preview available at: