I am no native French but have been learning the language for the past one
year.
Savoir - to know a fact.
Connaitre - to know or be familiar with a person.
But , I think a French person must clarify.
Soumya.
Aris Mousoutzanis <emous01@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>@lists.village.virginia.edu
on 30/07/2002 21:55:20
Please respond to foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent by: owner-foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
cc:
Subject: Re: power/knowledge
Also, in my view of things, 'connaitre' has a more 'active', and
'progressive' element towards knowledge (coming to know something),
whereas 'savoir' tends to imply that one is already in possession of
knowledge, that it has absorbed it - maybe some French native speakers
on the list would like to comment?
In addition, Phil wrote:
"pouvoir" [which is, I believe, the only word ever used in
> French-language politics
> for "power], is also a verb, "to be able to."
>
> Does that make it easier for a thinker in French to escape from the
"negative"
> view of power?
I don't think Foucault anywhere wishes to 'escape' from the negative
view of power; power has its negative elements BUT NOT ONLY THOSE, it is
also productive. And it is in this context that I think 'pouvoir' is
more suggestive, in that it implies a dynamic process.
Regards
Aris