EXCEPTIONS. 1st EXCEPTION. - Nouns ending in s, a, or z, in the singular, remain the same in the plural; as, The trees of their orchards. The flowers of our gardens.arbre leurs verger fleur nos jardin The palaces of the kings. - Buy me four pounds of walnuts. palais Achetez-moi quatre livre noix -The fashions of the French. - The crosses of the knights.mode Français croix chevalier roi The laws of those countries. The movements of the armies. 2d EXCEPTION.-Nouns ending in the singular in au, eu, œu, or ou, take an x instead of ans in the plural; as, flotte f. vingt vaisseau bateau He (found himself) between two fires. hideous birds. EXERCISE VI. A fleet of twenty ships. - The boats of the sailors. matelot Owls are se trouva entre deux feu art. hibou sont The knives are on the sideboard. 3d EXCEPTION. - The greater number of nouns ending in al or ail in the singular, form their plural by changing the final al or ail into aux ; as, The following nouns in al and ail take an s in the plural: attirail, apparatus, imple- éventail, fan. bal, ball. [ments. gouvernail, helm, rudder. carnaval, carnival. détail, particulars. THE FOLLOWING NOUNS ARE IRREGULAR. portail, the gate of a church. régal, treat. aïeul paternal and maternal grandfathers, aïeuls. ail garlic, aulx. (Small round or oval windows are called ails-de-bœuf.) ancestors, those who preceded our grandfathers, aїеих. Bétail, subst. masc. sing., and Bestiaux, subst. masc. pl., are synonymous, both meaning cattle. EXERCISE VII. The horses of the generals. - The marshals of France. général maréchal cheval The English admirals. These corals are beautiful. The balls 'anglais amiral Ces corail sont superbes. bal of the nobility. - He sells fans. Our Saviour noblesse f. Il vend pr. art. éventail Notre Sauveur ascended into heaven in presence of his disciples.-Open monta à art. ciel pl. en présence de ses your eyes. She has the portraits of her two grandfathers. * art. œil Elle a areul ses deux -His forefathers have filled high stations. Ouvrez aïeul ont rempli de grandes charges. CHAPTER III. OF THE ADJECTIVE. THE Adjective is a word which expresses a particular quality or distinction ascribed to a substantive. A word is known to be an adjective, when it can be properly joined with the word personne, person; or chose, thing. Thus, fidèle, faithful, and agréable, agreeable, are adjectives, because we can say, une personne fidèle, a faithful person; une chose agréable, an agreeable thing. In English, the adjectives never vary on account of gender and number, but in French they change their termination, in order to agree, in gender and number, with the substantives to which they relate. OF THE FORMATION OF THE FEMININE OF ADJECTIVES. GENERAL RULE. The feminine of adjectives is formed by adding an e mute to the masculine singular; as, 1st EXCEPTION. - Adjectives ending in e mute do not change their termination in the feminine; as, un homme aimable, an amiable man. un jeune garçon, a young boy. une femme aimable, an amiable woman. une jeune fille, a young girl. EXERCISE VIII. Their house is small, but it is well situated. situé That street is narrow and dark. -The meat is cold; the Cette rue f. étroit et obscur viande f. froid (is not) ripe. Avoid n'est pas mûr Evitez bad company. (She is) a clever art. mauvais compagnie f. C'est habile has a black gown and a red scarf. a noir Probe f. Prouge écharpe f. woman. femme. The eldest is prudent, well-informed, rich, and pretty. joli bien instruit riche - She Elle sister 2aîné sœur 2d EXCEPTION. - Adjectives ending in f change that letter into ve for the feminine; as, Masc. Fem. Masc. Fem. actif, active, active. neuf, neuve, new. lively. bref, brève, brief, short. vif, vive, 3d EXCEPTION.-Adjectives ending in a change the x into se; as, Masc. Fem. heureux, heureuse, happy. paresseux, paresseuse, idle. jaloux, jalouse, jealous. | vertueux, vertueuse, virtuous. The following in a form their feminine thus : Is she attentive? - Catherine de Médicis was ambitious, imperious, and superstitious; she was a native of Florence. news mur The Italian language is sweet and harmonious. That italienne langue f. doux harmonieuxх Cette is false. The new tower is in the old town. nouvelle f. faux 2neuf tour f. dans vieux ville f. 4th EXCEPTION. - Adjectives ending in el, eil, ien, on, and et, form their feminine by doubling the last consonant, and adding an e mute after it; as The following adjectives follow the general rule, except in the additional accent : The soul is immortal.-I (am reading) ancient history. âme f. est immortel Je lis art. ancien 'histoire f. hm. We are in the nineteenth century of the Christian Nous sommes dans dix-neuvième siècle m. 2chrétien era. She (is not) pretty, but she is good. - That poor Lère f. Elle n'est pas joli mais est bon Cette pauvre woman is dumb. Are you ready, sister? - Your mother is femme muet Etes-vous prêt ma sœur ? Votre mère very uneasy. That person is extremely indiscreet. très inquiet personne f. extrémement indiscret 5th EXCEPTION. - Adjectives ending in eur, formed from a participle present by the change of ant into eur, make euse in the feminine; as, connaissant, connaisseur, connaisseuse, knowing, a judge. flattant, flatteur, flatteuse, mentant, menteur, menteuse, trompant, trompeur, trompeuse, flattering, a flatterer. lying, a liar. deceiving, deceitful. OBSERVATION.- Words of this sort are real adjectives, but are for the most part used as substantives. About a hundred follow this rule. The following must be excepted, forming their femi nine by the change of eur into eresse : vengeur, vengeresse, avenging, an avenger. |