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1994-08-09
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Les mathématiques et les sciences `théoriques`
Pour les `scientifiques`, les mathématiques `sont` la `seule science exacte`,
mais elle `intervient` `comme outil` dans la plupart des `autres` sciences,
`notamment` en physique, en chimie, en dynamique, en mécanique des fluides
et des solides, en statistiques, etc.
L'apprenant, `s'il` est compétent dans le domaine, `n'a pas` besoin de
connaissances `particulières` `pour` comprendre `ce qui` `est écrit` (sur un
tableau, dans un polycopié ou dans un article d'une revue `spécialisée`) car
la langue `tient` une place `minime`. `Elle` est présente sous forme de
marqueurs `courts` ou `de` formes `stéréotypées` (exemples: "`soit`", "`on pose`",
"si... alors", "donc", "d'où", etc.)
`Ces` marqueurs `se trouvent` souvent dans des formules `dont` la signification,
à quelques exceptions près, est `internationale`. Les formules, les
équations, les graphiques, les schémas `jouent` un rôle `fondamental` dans
l'élaboration du savoir `lui-même`.
<
'theoretical' : an adjective, describing the noun 'sciences'.
One of several examples in this text of the fact that French
adjectives often FOLLOW the noun they describe, and must agree in
number and gender with that noun. Hences the 's' on the end of the word.
'Scientifique' is normally an adjective. If, as here, there is no
noun with it, then add the idea of 'people' - scientific people -
for which we happen to have the word 'scientists' in English.
Compare : 'un vieux' = an old (man).
'are' : plural form of the verb 'être' - to be, the subject of the
sentence being 'les mathématiques' (plural).
The noun 'science' is feminine singular. The two adjectives which
describe it - 'seule' and 'exacte' - must agree with the noun, which is
why they both end in 'e'. The adjective 'seule' goes before the noun it
describes when its meaning is 'only'. When it follows, it means 'alone'
(see entry on 'théoriques').
'Intervenir' - literally, to intervene, is a compound verb based on
'venir' (to come). The verb is irregular : the 3rd person present
tense, as here, is 'vient'.
'as a tool' The omission of the article (not 'comme UN outil')
is normal with 'comme'.
Compare : Comme artiste, il ... : As an artist, he ...
'Other' : an adjective, so it must agree with the
noun it describes, 'sciences', hence the 's'.
'Autre' normally precedes its the noun it describes.
'Especially' : words ending in 'ment', including examples with
'amment' and 'emment', are usually adverbs, and their English
equivalent often ends in 'ly'. In derivation and meaning,
'notamment' is close to the English word 'notably'.
"s'il" = si + il = 'if he'
'Si' is only abbreviated in this way with 'il' and 'ils',
and the abbreviation is obligatory. In 'si elle',
'si elles', and 'si on' the words remain separate.
'Ne' + verb + 'pas' = does not ...
Here, 'does not have need',
or simply 'does not need'.
Feminine plural of 'particulier', to agree with 'connaissances',
which it follows. The English equivalent would be singular -
particular or special knowledge.
'Pour' means 'for', as in 'pour son père' = for his father.
BUT when 'pour' is followed by an infinitive, as here, in 'pour
comprendre', then its meaning is 'in order to', or simply 'to'.
'For understanding' would not be a satisfactory translation.
Oh dear! Here we go!
'Ce qui' - literally 'that which', is best translated as 'what'.
The 'qui' is a relative pronoun, and it is 'qui' (as opposed to 'que')
becuase it is the subject of the following verb 'est écrit'.
A relative pronoun always has an antecedent - the word which precedes
it and which it links (or 'relates') to what follows, as in :
Je regarde le garçon qui dessine.
I'm watching the boy who is drawing.
'Garçon' is the antecedent of 'qui', which is the subject of 'dessine'.
Now in the present context, whatever it is that's written is not
actually mentioned. The 'ce' is a token pronoun standing in for it:
ce qui est écrit
'that (whatever it may be) which is written'
'Is written' - a passive form (who does the writing
is immaterial) made up of the present tense of 'être'
plus the past participle of 'écrire' (to write).
The adjective 'spécialisé' in its feminine singular form (with an
extra 'e') to agree with the preceding noun 'revue' (journal).
Present tense of the verb 'tenir' (to hold).
'Venir' and 'tenir' are similar in their forms.
See the entry under 'intervient'.
'Minimal, very small' - another adjective in
the normal position, following the noun.
Feminine singular subject pronoun. Translates as 'she' if it refers to
a person, but as 'it' if it refers to an inanimate object, as it does
here. Going back to the preceding sentence, we can see that the 'elle'
is in fact referring to the feminine noun 'langue' (language).
Adjective following noun, with masculine plural agreement
- the extra 's' - because 'marqueurs' is masculine plural.
This 'de' is a necessary repetition of the 'de' in the preceding
line, in 'sous forme de'. ... in the form of ... and of ...
Adjective following noun, with feminine plural agreement
- the extra 'es' - because 'formes' is feminine plural.
The present subjuctive of 'être', often used in geometrical
expositions where in English we find 'let there be...' or 'imagine'.
As in :
Let there be a line AB and a point C such that ... and so on.
Typically, an impersonal description of actions carried out in a
laboratory experiment : 'we put, we place'. It does not say who
does the action, and avoids the clumsier passive constructions
of English as in '... is put...' or '... is placed ...'
'These' - plural form of the demonstrative pronoun 'ce' (this ...).
'Ces' can also mean 'those', and we often rely on the context to
determine whether 'these' or those' is the better English rendering.
'Se trouvent' - a reflexive verb. Literally, 'they find
themselves'. In plain English, 'they (these markers) are found'.
NB : The third person plural ending is SILENT: 'se trouvent'
sounds exactly like 'se trouve'. By contrast, the following word
'souvent' is not a verb, and both its syllables are sounded.
'Of which', a relative pronoun. See also the notes under 'ce qui'.
The antecedent of 'dont' is 'formules'.
Feminine singular form of the adjective
to agree with 'signification'.
Third person plural, present tense, of
'jouer', to play. 'They play a role'.
The adjective 'fondamental' follows the noun 'rôle'
which it describes. In English, 'a fundamental role'.
An emphatic pronoun, 'it' + 'self'.
Masculine singular to agree with the noun
'savoir' to which it refers : 'knowledge itself'.
call pat(480,24,'Grammar study',2)