Ci-joint

By Céline Graciet,
Brighton, UNITED KINGDOM


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I've always been puzzled by the use of the expression "ci-joint" (enclosed, as in "please find enclosed…") in French; does it need to agree with the noun it is linked to or not? Checking again today, I realised that I've seen it used in different ways because its use isn't fixed when it is in the middle of a sentence.

The general rule is:

It is invariable when it has an adverbial value :

• at the beginning of a sentence : ci-joint les factures… (please find enclosed the bills…)
• in the middle of a sentence, immediately followed by a noun : vous trouverez ci-joint factures…

• it is placed straight after the noun and has the value of an attribute: les factures ci-jointes…
• it is an attribute of the subject : les factures sont ci-jointes…

Bernanos : "Vous trouverez ci-joint les pages dactylographiées de mon roman" (Please find enclosed the typed pages of my novel) NO AGREEMENT
Hugo : "Je vous envoie ci-incluses des paroles prononcées ici par moi au moment de la proscription" (please find enclosed the words I pronounced during the ban) AGREEMENT
Musset : "Je prends la liberté de vous envoyer ci-jointes des rillettes" (Please find enclosed some rillettes, which I've taken the liberty to send you) AGREEMENT

The article was originally published at: http://www.nakedtranslations.com/en/2005/05/000397.php

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