Problèmes de la concurrence entre les connecteurs temporels les plus employés en français et en bulgare contemporains

This article deals with some problems related to the definition and the analysis of the linguistic mechanisms governing the competition between the most frequently used temporal conjunctions in modern French and in modern Bulgarian. The first part of the study examines an interesting question of the syntax of French compound phrases with a temporal subordinate clause, namely the alternation between the most typical temporal conjunctions quand and lorsque, es129 pecially in economic and scientific functional style. It is proved that the preference for quand is, generally, a result from the engagement of the speaking subject to processes expressed by the verb of the subordinate temporal clause in opposition to lorsque, which prevails when such an engagement is lacking. The second part considers the competition between the most important Bulgarian temporal conjunctions когато and като, as an analogy to the phenomenon studied in French, in spite of the different factors being at its basis.