Les relatifs de surface
- Author(s): Jean Dubois and Francoise Dubois-Charlier
- Source: Lexique, Syntaxe et Lexique-Grammaire / Syntax, Lexis & Lexicon-Grammar , pp 175-183
- Publication Date July 2004
We have here examined some types of sentences which include a relative pronoun, for which we would like to suggest that the outwardly relative clause may not be a 'true' relative clause:
C'est Pierre qui m'accompagnera à la gare
Il y a des enfants qui jouent au ballon dans le jardin
Il est / existe /se trouve des gens qui pensent que...
J'ai une mélodie qui me trotte dans la tête
Tu as ton jupon qui dépasse
Cyril partait gagnant mais Pierre est celui qui a été élu
All such structures are interpreted here as resulting, not from a reunion of two clauses through relativization, but from the rearrangement of a single simple clause: Son mari n 'aime pas les voyages → Elle a un mari qui n 'aime pas les voyages .
This rearrangement is motivated by focalization or rethematization purposes. It involves the use of a new beginning for the sentence (to set out the focus or to indicate the new theme); as a consequence, the rest of the sentence is marked with a qu- form. We thus call the qu- clause a 'pseudo-relative'.
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