Le passé simple et son co-texte : examen de quelques distributions

Danielle Leeman : The simple past and its context: a study of selected distribution The much decried if referentialist-based definition of the simple past as a "punctual" aspect established by Damourette & Pichon is evoked and its substantiality in the light of distributional compatibilities with a few prepositions and conjunctions like depuis (que) and pendant (que) is examined. Next follows an explanation of why the periphrasis être en train de - which generally can not logically be used with the simple past - can be found associated with it in certain subordinate conjunctions, for example Quand les invités furent en train de prendre l'apéritif, Max monta sur l'estrade et prit la parole . Lastly, the case of the combination of the simple past with the adverb déjà, a combination which is traditionally described as impossible despite proof to the contrary, is examined, using the example La nuit tomba déjà (P. Bourgeade).Leeman Danielle. Le passé simple et son co-texte : examen de quelques distributions. In: Langue française, n°138, 2003. Temps et co(n)texte, sous la direction de Jacques Bres. pp. 20-34