Archaisms and literary turns
point, naguère, céans, ouïr ; Plût au ciel que…
⚡Key points
Archaic words
Archaisms are outdated words and forms found in the classics or used for stylisation: ouïr (= entendre), quérir (= chercher), céans (= ici), naguère (= il y a peu), jadis (= autrefois), moult (= beaucoup), nenni (= non).
Archaism → modern equivalent
| ouïr | entendre | to hear (j’ai ouï dire) |
| quérir | chercher | aller quérir |
| céans | ici, dans ce lieu | le maître de céans |
| naguère | il y a peu | recently |
| moult | beaucoup | moult détails |
| point (= pas) | ne… point | Je ne crains point. |
Literary and archaic turns
Classical literature preserves turns of phrase now felt as elevated: Plût au ciel que… (would to heaven that…), n’eût été… (had it not been for…), fût-ce… (even were it…), dût-il m’en coûter (whatever it costs me), Que ne… (why not…). Often with the imperfect/pluperfect subjunctive.
Turns
Plût au ciel que
Plût au ciel qu’il fût encore temps ! (Would there were still time!)
n’eût été
N’eût été la pluie, nous serions sortis. (Had it not been for the rain…)
fût-ce / dût-il
Je le ferai, dût-il m’en coûter la vie.
💡⚠️ Register and effect
Excerpt: stylisation after the classics
Narrator: Would to heaven I had never left these places! | Had it not been for his pride, he would have stayed here. | I have heard that he returned recently, in secret. | He swore to stay, even should he lose his fortune.