French Literature Reviews - 2026
B. Cerquiglini, Un participe qui ne passe pas
Literary Theory, Linguistics and Stylistics
Bibliographic reference: B. Cerquiglini, Un participe qui ne passe pas, 2021.
Un participe qui ne passe pas
Bernard Cerquiglini
Points, 2021, Le Goût des mots collection
Publication date 18/03/2021 — 7.20 € — 224 p. — EAN 9782757883907
“Regarding the agreement of the past participle, our society combines resigned reverence, routine teaching, misunderstood usage, and unacknowledged carelessness. Believers, yet barely practicing, we celebrate a lasting enigma. How did we reach this point? That is what we are about to find out.”
Linguist Bernard Cerquiglini plunges us into the history of past participle agreement, which reads like a novel. He demonstrates that this fragment of syntax has, for centuries, been a major issue in French grammar, a source of continuous controversy, and the ultimate emblem of linguistic standards.
A captivating read that dismantles the myth of an allegedly insurmountable difficulty, offering the keys to mastering this agreement and even finding pleasure in it.
An academic, linguist, and member of the Oulipo, Bernard Cerquiglini has held various positions at the Ministry of National Education, the Ministry of Culture, and the International Organisation of La Francophonie. He is the author of numerous works on the French language, including Le Ministre est enceinte and La grande querelle de la féminisation des noms, available in the Points "Le Goût des mots" collection.
The agreement of the past participle has long held a peculiar place in the French linguistic consciousness, often viewed as a shibboleth of social distinction and grammatical orthodoxy. In the history of the French language, spelling and syntax have frequently been codified by institutions to establish national standards, sometimes resulting in complex rules that spark public debate. In this work, Bernard Cerquiglini traces the history of past participle agreement, demonstrating that this grammatical rule has been a source of ongoing controversy and a key symbol of linguistic standards in French grammar.
Bernard Cerquiglini is an academic, linguist, and member of the Oulipo, who has held positions at the French Ministry of National Education, the Ministry of Culture, and the International Organisation of La Francophonie. He is the author of several works on the French language, including Le Ministre est enceinte and La grande querelle de la féminisation des noms. The book examines the history of past participle agreement, aiming to dismantle the myth of its insurmountable difficulty and offer keys to mastering the rule. Readers interested in French linguistics and the history of grammar may find it relevant.