Module 16- L’art et l’expression
Deuxième partie : arts visuels, la grammaire
In this section:
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ce qui, ce que
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ce dont, ce + preposition + quoi
ce qui, ce que
Ce qui and ce que are relative pronouns like qui and que; that is, they introduce a subordinate clause. However, ce qui and ce que are used in sentences in which there is no expressed antecedent. They do not refer to a specific noun, but rather to an idea or an entire statement, which may or may not have been previously expressed: they refer to something unstated and unspecified.
The choice between ce qui and ce que depends solely on the grammatical role, subject or direct object, that the relative pronoun plays in the subordinate clause.
ce qui
Ce qui (what, that, which) functions as the subject of the subordinate clause.
| Tu as lu ce roman sur les arts visuels ? | Have you read this novel on visual art? | |
| Ah oui! Ce qui est fascinant, c’est sa description des époques. | Ah, yes I have! What’s fascinating is his description of the periods. | |
| J’adore tout ce qui se rapporte à l’art! | I love everything that is related to art! | |
Ce qui is often used for emphasis followed by c’est. Note how the sentence ‘Ce qui est fascinant, c’est sa description de l’époque.’ is more emphatic than saying simply ‘Sa description de l’époque est fascinante.’
ce que
Ce que (what, that, which) functions as the direct object of the subordinate clause. Ce que becomes ce qu’ before a word beginning with a vowel.
| Tout ce que cet artiste crée est tellement original! | Everything that this artist creates is so original! | |
| Moi, j’aime ce qu‘il fait avec les couleurs | Personally, I like what he does with colors. | |
| Ce que je n’aime pas, c’est le sujet des tableaux. | What I don’t like is the subject of the paintings. | |
| L’artist ne commente pas ces oeuvres, ce que je trouve très dommage. | The artist doesn’t comment on his work, which I think is such a pity. |
Note how the sentence ‘Ce que je n’aime pas, c’est la fin du livre.’ is more emphatic than saying simply ‘Je n’aime pas la fin du livre.’
ce dont, ce + preposition + quoi
Just as the forms ce qui and ce que are used when there is no explicit antecedent, so the forms ce dont and ce + preposition + quoi refer to something unstated and unspecified.
Use ce dont if the subordinate clause needs an object introduced by de.
| On comprend très bien ce dont l’artistes avaient peur (avoir peur de).
Ce à quoi les artistes pensaient pendant cet epoque m’intéresse beaucoup (penser de). |
One understands very well what the artist was afraid of
What the artists thought about during this period interests me a lot. |
Use ce + preposition + quoi when the subordinate clause needs an object introduced by a preposition other than de. Remember that, unlike English, the preposition in French must always be placed immediately in front of the relative pronoun.
