Page:Chambaud - Fables choisies with English-French dictionary, 1828.djvu/9

 PREFACE.

This collectioh of Fables is calculated to be the first book for children or others, who begin to learn the French language. But easy as they are^ it must dot be expected that all the sentences therein can be rendered into English in the very same number of words, and in the same gramma- tical order as in French, In the English lan- guage the adjectives generally come before the substantives, and the adverbs most commonly be- fore the verbs. In French the substantives more generally come before the adjectives, and the adverb always? after the verb. The French place their pronouns personal before the verb; and when three or four meet together, their gramma- tical order clashes prodigiously with the English grammar. The FrencA phrases, — Je vous le dis, Je ne t>ous Vai pas ditj are as plain, common, and natural, as the English phrases, / tell it yoUf I have not told it you : though the order and number of the words run thus, with respect to the English, / you it tell, I not you it have not told.

Again. // luifit cette question, comment vous portez'vous? — Le coq chante.^^-Voild une drole d'idie^ Sic, are as plain and natural French, as He asked him this question^ how d'y' do'? — TKe ^oq.<.