Le temps et la cause – analyse d'une métonymie universelle

The aim of this paper is to analyze the relations between time and cause as they are reflected by the French conjunctions. First, applying the diachronic point of view, we show which conjunctions expressing temporal relations are considered by different grammarians as being able to express causal values as well. After having described different types of principals that the causal implication is based on, we confirm the universal validity of the anteriority of the cause to its effect, even if language seems not to observe it in some cases. The adage "post hoc ergo propter hoc" explains well why the conjunctions of anteriority can easily express causal relation. In the second part of our paper we test the real capacity of different conjunctions we analyze to express the cause independently on the meaning of the clauses they link. We propose a coherent description of the functioning of each type of conjunction considered from the point of view of the relation between time and cause.