De plus, au plus and à plus

[Chancer]

Can you confirm my understanding of these extracts from a government text, I think that I have it right now but initially saw it completely differently, I will underline the relevant bits and remove the uneccesary.

Art. 1er. -

Les dispositions du présent arrêté s'appliquent:

aux bâtiments d'habitation y compris les logements-foyers dont le plancher bas du logement le plus haut est situé au plus à 50 mètres au-dessus du sol utilement accessible aux engins des services de secours et de lutte contre l'incendie;

Les règles particulières concernant les immeubles d'habitation dont le plancher bas du logement le plus haut est situé à plus de 50 mètres au-dessus du sol Classement des bâtiments d'habitation

Art. 3. -

Les bâtiments d'habitation sont classés comme suit du point de vue de la sécurité-incendie:

1° Première famille:

habitations individuelles isolées ou jumelées à un étage sur rez-de-chaussée, au plus;

2° Deuxième famille:

habitations individuelles isolées ou jumelées de plus d'un étage sur rez-de-chaussée;

habitations collectives comportant au plus trois étages sur rez-de-chaussée.

So I think that above "au plus à 50 metres" means no more than 50 metres

à plus de 50 metres means more than 50 meters.

un étage sur rez-de-chaussée, au plus. Means no more than one floor above the ground floor.

de plus d'un etage sur rez-de-chausée. Means more than one floor above the ground floor.

And the last "au plus" like the others, no more than. 

[Clair]

[quote user="Chancer"]aux bâtiments d'habitation y compris les logements-foyers dont le plancher bas du logement le plus haut est situé au plus à 50 mètres au-dessus du sol utilement accessible aux engins des services de secours et de lutte contre l'incendie;[/quote]

= at the most

[quote user="Chancer"]Les règles particulières concernant les immeubles d'habitation dont le plancher bas du logement le plus haut est situé à plus de 50 mètres au-dessus du sol Classement des bâtiments d'habitation [/quote]

= beyond / further than

[quote user="Chancer"]habitations individuelles isolées ou jumelées à un étage sur rez-de-chaussée, au plus; [/quote]

= at the most

[quote user="Chancer"]habitations individuelles isolées ou jumelées de plus d'un étage sur rez-de-chaussée[/quote]

= above / more than

[quote user="Chancer"]habitations collectives comportant au plus trois étages sur rez-de-chaussée. [/quote]

= at the most

[quote user="Chancer"]So I think that above "au plus à 50 metres" means no more than 50 metres,

"à plus de 50 metres" means more than 50 meters,

"un étage sur rez-de-chaussée, au plus" means no more than one floor above the ground floor,

"plus d'un etage sur rez-de-chausée" means more than one floor above the ground floor,

And the last "au plus" like the others, no more than.[/quote]

Well done Chancer!

[Chancer]

Merci Clair.

A plus [;-)]

[NormanH]

I'll add my contribution en plus [:)]  (more for others than for you since you got it all right)

http://french.about.com/library/weekly/aa101300.htm

[idun]

'Plus', one of my very first confusing french words.

PLUS......... that is what they would say in shops and my brain would think it meant more......... only it doesn't, it means no more.

I suppose I should have known from gaming... rien ne va plus......[blink]

[Chancer]

Some lessons you learn very early on and never forget, in a brasserie I wanted another beer with my meal "plus de biére S.V.P" said I, the response was 'Deja fait!" as she took away my glass never for it to be returned[:(]

En plus and quand même were others that really got me scratching my head, I had never used moreover in spoken English to my knowledge, now I cant stop myself from using it to the amusement of my friends and family, see the thread on the english footballer!

[mint]

Chance, j'en ai plus (or whatever the right phrase is) but I want you to know that I did send you a PM, as promised, last night and I wonder whether you have seen/read it?

à plus tard, alors.....

 

[allanb]

[quote user="Chancer"]…in a brasserie I wanted another beer with my meal "plus de biére S.V.P" said I, the response was 'Deja fait!" as she took away my glass never for it to be returned…[/quote]

I don't know any good solution to the "plus" problem in written French, but there is sometimes a clue in pronunciation.  If the 's' is pronounced, I think it usually has a positive meaning, i.e. "some more" rather than "no more."

Maybe one of our French friends can confirm this, but I believe that if you had sounded the 's' – especially if you made it more like a 'z' – you would have got your second beer (or third, or fifth, or whatever it was.)  Pluz de bière, s'il vous plaît.  Try it next time and see what happens.

PS: on further thought, I don't think this would work before a vowel, when you would have to pronounce the 's' anyway.  E.g. you would pronounce the 's' in "plus un mot, s.v.p." but I think it could mean either "let's have another word" or "not another word!"  Again, can anyone confirm this?

[NormanH]

I have never really been able to work out the why of the reply "moi non plus" in the notorious Gainsbourg song

"Je t'aime" "Moi non plus"

Perhaps one of our natives could explain?

[Clair]

[quote user="NormanH"]I have never really been able to work out the why of the reply "moi non plus" in the notorious Gainsbourg song

"Je t'aime" "Moi non plus"

Perhaps one of our natives could explain?[/quote]

Apparently it's something Dali said when asked about the difference between him and Picasso:

"He's Spanish, Me too (moi aussi). He's a genius. Me too (moi aussi). He's a Communist. Me neither (moi non plus)."

Don't ask... [8-)]

[NormanH]

Perhaps her Art Belongs to Dada [:D]