Chapter VIII: Appendix: IV

QUE, _CONJUNCTIVE AND ADVERBIAL_.

The interrogative pronouns are _Qui?_ = "Who?" or "Whom?" and _quoi?_ = "What?" the latter having the conjunctive form _que_, which, as is the case with all conjunctives, must be used in preference to the disjunctive form, if possible.

i.

The CONJUNCTIVE QUE is used:

_A_. Instead of accusative _quoi_:

Esth. l. 161: _Que nous annoncez-vous?_

l. 593: _Que penses-tu?_

Also ll. 637, 675, 762, 1078, 1104, etc.

In _Que sert?_ (ll. 874 and 333), the _que_ is probably the accus. conjunctive, due to a confusion in the construction of _servir_. (See N. to l. 259)

_B_. Instead of nominative _quoi_, when followed by the formal subject _ce_ or _il_.

E.g., _Qu'est-ce? Qu'est-ce que c'est?_ etc.

Esth. l. 596: _Que sont-ils?_

l. 713: _Que vous semble?_ ( = _Que vous semble-t-il?_)

ii.

QUE is used ADVERBIALLY:

_A_. As an interrogative = "why," followed by _ne_ and no _pas_.

E.g. Esth. l. 558: _Que n'a-t-il plus tôt demandé son salaire?_

Also, but very rarely, in the affirmative.

E.g., l. 523: _Que tardez-vous?_

_B_. As an exclamative = "how!"

E.g., l. 465: _Que ce temps est long à mon impatience!_

Also ll. 691, 735, 946.

_C_. As a relative of time = "when."

E.g., l. 569: _Sur le point que la vie_, etc.