Question 1

Why do we use d'autant moins que instead of d'autant plus que here?

Accepted Answer

D'autant moins que translates to "all the less since" or "especially since (not)". We use moins instead of plus because the main action is negative (ils ne peuvent pas). The fact that the letter is torn makes their ability to authenticate it even less likely. If they were able to authenticate it, you would use d'autant plus que.

Question 2

Le filigrane étant absent sounds very formal. How would you say this in everyday spoken French?

Accepted Answer

You are right, using a present participle (étant) to start a clause like this is quite formal and typical of written French. In everyday conversation, you would usually replace it with comme (since/as) or puisque (since): Comme le filigrane est absent...

Question 3

Does qu'elle refer to the letter or the watermark?

Accepted Answer

It refers to la lettre. We know this because elle is a feminine pronoun, which matches the feminine noun la lettre. Also, notice that the adjective déchirée (torn) has an extra -e at the end to agree with this feminine subject. Le filigrane is masculine.

Question 4

Could I just say surtout parce qu'elle est déchirée instead of the d'autant moins que structure?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you could! Surtout parce que (especially because) has a very similar meaning. However, d'autant moins que is a precise B2-level connector that sounds more native, elegant, and perfectly links a negative outcome (inability to authenticate) with a compounding cause.

Le filigrane étant absent, ils ne peuvent pas authentifier la lettre, d'autant moins qu'elle est déchirée.

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