Kragh, K: Remplacement De L'imparfait Du Subjonctif Par

In most registers of modern French, the imperfect subjunctive is replaced by the present subjunctive. However, empirical analyses indicate that the imperfect subjunctive is still found in narrative contexts in the literary language of authors advocating conservative French linguistic norms. A number of syntactic and lexical parameters appear to affect the choice between the two forms and reveal the importance of the constituent of the verb, simple or composed form, grammatical person, verb frequency, and circumstances triggering the subjunctive. This volume - which is entirely in French text - studies this development in the perspective of grammaticalisation. Due to a number of reanalyses, the temporal distinction in the subjunctive paradigm is replaced by a distinction between unaccomplished and accomplished, resulting in the establishment of a new paradigm which contains fewer forms, implying, however, a more complex system. The old forms of the present and passe compose subjunct