Reflexions sur le subjonctif latin archaique
Institution:
Paris 4Disciplines:
Directors:
Abstract EN:
As is well known, most scholars consider the idea of doubt or mental exisence as the ultimate meaning of the subjunctive. Very fex instances can be found in the works of plautus to provide evidence for the truth of this theory that seems to me greatly irrelevant. Nor can i accept the position of those who claim that subjunctive and optative were originally not modes at all but tenses. As far as i am concerned, i regard this opinion as a survival of the sociological view of old grammarians who believed primitive men unable to conceive such a notion as a mode. This book favours adherence to the following thesis : the subjunctive, which is widely used to convey wish, indignation, fear, perplexity, etc. , expresses an emotional attitude of the speaker.
Abstract FR:
La plupart des savants, on le sait, considerent l'odee de doute ou d'existence mentale comme le sens fondamental du subjonctif. Chez plaute, on ne releve guere de faits pour etayer cette theorie qui me semble on ne peut plus contestable. Je ne puis non plus accepter les dires de ceux pour qui le subjonctif et l'optatif etaient, a l'origine, non point du tout des modes mais des temps. Il s'agit la; a mon sens, d'une survivance de la vieille these sociologique selon laquelle l'homme primitif etait incapable de concevoir une notion telle que le mode. Le present ouvrage soutient que le subjonctif, largement utilise pour exprimer le souhait, l'indignation, l'apprehension, l'angoisse, etc. , traduit une attitude affective du sujet parlant.