Partitive article

In Grammar, partitive article is subcategory of determinant indefinite, more near to indefinite article singular, employed in front of Name S expressing quantity massive (the linguists also speak about concept continues ), i.e. part of referent (the object about which one speaks), not being able to be counted.

Just like the indefinite article, the partitive article takes part in actualization of the name core while stating simply that represented (the referent) exists well, but remains unknown agents of the stating. Thus, he is also opposed to him with the definite article.

Singular partitive determinant

From the morphological point of view, the partitive article singular is the same one as the singular definite article preceded by the preposition “ of ”:

- contracted male Form: “ of the ”;
- female Form: “ of the ”;
- Form epicene: “ of the ” (in front of a word starting phonetically with a vowel):
I drink du milk, orgeat, of the Grenadian and of the eau.

  • One will note that the forms “ of the ” and “ of the ” are detached flexional compounds.

  • the name brought up to date by the partitive article generally indicates an inanimate ( of sand ). If it indicates a animated (an animal more than one human), it transforms this one into consumable matter, out of butcher's meat:

Un indefinite calf ; le definite calf ; du partitive calf .

Determine partitive plural

Indicating a noncountable part of a continuous unit, the partitive article should normally know only the singular.

  • Cependant, when the name concerned exists only in the plural, one uses the form epicene of the plural indefinite article “ of the ”, itself copied on the plural definite article preceded by the preposition “ of ” (contracted form, once again):

Des files, des ashes, des debris, des rillettes, des darkness, des vivres…

Apart from the particular cases above, a Syntagme brought up to date by a singular partitive article can be put in the plural only at the price of a semantic modification:

For example, “ of water ” is the plural of “ a water ”, and not that of “ of the water ”, which normally does not have any.

Notons that the plural partitive article is almost always converted into “ of ” by a verb with the negative form:

It eats des rillettes/It never eats de rillettes.

  • In spite of their identical form, the partitive article and the definite article preceded by the preposition “ of ” should not be confused:

I speak about l'eau. /I want eau.
In the first example, “ of the ” is the definite article preceded by the preposition “ of ” (“ water ” is thus C.O.I of the verb “ speaks ”). In the second, “ of the ” is a partitive article (“ water ” is thus C.O.D. of the verb “ want ”, since there is no preposition).

Related articles

Random links:Yao Ming | List vehicles | Cubanite | Antonio Talbot | Bettongia tropica | Avaiki