Scarica Hypothetical Clauses and Their Meaning: Expressing Uncertainty and Conditions e più Appunti in PDF di Lingua Inglese solo su Docsity! Constructions containing hypothetical clauses HYPOTHETICAL MEANING • A FACT (OR FACTUAL MEANING) IS USUALLY EXPRESSED BY A FINITE VERB CLAUSE, AS IN [1] IN 274, OR BY AN -ING CLAUSE (SEE 493) OR A NOUN PHRASE WITH AN ABSTRACT NOUN. Constructions containing hypothetical clauses (II) Apart from conditional clauses, hypothetical meaning occurs in a few other special constructions. The main ones are illustrated here (with the negative statements they imply in brackets): It’s time you were in bed. (‘but you’re not in bed’) He behaves as if he owned the place. (‘but he doesn’t own the place’) It’s not as if you were all that fond of Alice. (‘You’re not fond of Alice’) Suppose (that) the United Nations had the power to impose a peaceful solution. (‘It does not have the power …’) If only she had kept her eyes open. (‘She didn’t keep them open’) In your place, I’d have taken the taxi. (‘I didn’t take the taxi’) Very often would is used where there is no if-clause, but where a conditional ‘if’ is Implied: I can’t let anyone see the letters – it wouldn’t be right, would it? (‘… if I let see them’) Conditionals with inversion Another type of hypothetical conditional clause has no if, but instead begins with an operator placed before the subjective three operators which occur in this construction are had, subjunctive were, and putative should. Had they known, they would have been more frightened. <formal> (‘If they had known…’) Were a serious crisis to arise, the government would have to act swiftly. <formal> (‘If a serious crisis were …’) Should you change your mind, no one would blame you. (‘If you should). These clauses with were and should are rather <literary> in tone, and can always be replaced by an if-clause: If they had known, etc. Neutrality It’s best for Sarah to be patient. [1] we do not know whether Sarah will be patient or not. I want all of us to agree [2] we do not know whether all of us will agree or not. In this sense, the assumptions are neutral. Infinitive clauses usually express neutrality. Open conditions with if or unless are another case of a construction which is neutral with regard to truth. It’s best if Sarah is patient. [3] Unless we all agree, the whole project will collapse.[4] Sentences [1] and [3] have the same effect. Also neutral are wh-clauses, which in this respect sometimes contrast with that-clauses: Did you know that the minister has agreed? (‘I’m telling you – the minister has agreed.’) Do you know whether the minister has agreed? (‘Please tell me’) There is a similar contrast between Yesterday, he told me that he had passed the exam. (‘So I know, already’) Tomorrow, he will tell me whether he has passed the exam. (‘I don’t know yet) Doubt is another verb that can be followed by either a that-clause or a wh-clause. Not + doubt, on the other hand, expresses certainty, and so takes a that-clause: I DOUBT WHETER-JAMES WILL COOPERATE WITH US I DOUBT THAT- JAMES WILL COOPERATE WITH US Putative should SHOULD EXPRESSES A TENTATIVE CONDITION IN IF-CLAUSES. IN OTHER DEPENDENT CLAUSES, TOO, SHOULD IS USED NEUTRALLY, TO REPRESENT SOMETHING AS A NEUTRAL ‘IDEA’ RATHER THAN AS A ‘FACT’. WE CALL THIS USE OF SHOULD PUTATIVE. FACT: THE FACT IS THAT THE REFERENDUM WILL BE HELD NEXT MONTH. IDEA: : THE IDEA IS THAT THE REFERENDUM SHOULD BE HELD NEXT MONTH./ SOMEONE IS SUGGESTING THAT THE REFERENDUM SHOULD BE HELD NEXT MONTH. PUTATIVE SHOULD OCCURS QUITE WIDELY IN THAT-CLAUSES. IT’S A PITY THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE TO LEAVE.- PUTATIVE SHOULD IN [4]–[7] HAS A MORE EMOTIONAL TONE. PUTATIVE SHOULD IS ALSO FOUND IN SOME QUESTIONS AND EXCLAMATIONS: HOW SHOULD I KNOW? WHY SHOULD SHE HAVE TO RESIGN?
