This document discusses different types of conditionals and their analysis. It begins by defining a conditional sentence as having an "if p then q" structure. Conditionals can be analyzed using possible worlds semantics similarly to modals. The document then outlines four main uses of "if": standard conditionals which do not commit to the truth of the clauses but imply a relationship; relevance conditionals which commit to the truth of the consequent; factual conditionals which presuppose the antecedent is believed true; and concessive conditionals where the consequent is asserted regardless of the antecedent. Finally, it distinguishes speech act conditionals, where the antecedent specifies when a speech act is fel

1. Conditionals
PREPARED BY
FATIMAH ALYAMI
LECTURER IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS

2. Conditionals and modals
A conditional sentence is a bi-clausal structure of the form if p
(then) q
The conjunction if seems to indicate that a certain kind of
relationship holds between the meanings of the two clauses.
Conditional, is that the if clause describes some condition under
which the then clause is claimed to be true.
Examples
(1) If Atatürk was your great-grandfather, then you are my second
cousin

3. Much recent work on the meaning of conditional constructions
builds on the similarities between conditionals and modals.
The analysis of modality treats modal operators as quantifiers over
possible worlds: modals of necessity are universal quantifiers, while
modals of possibility are existential quantifiers.
The difference between epistemic vs. deontic or other types of
modality is the result of restricting this quantification to specific
kinds of worlds.

4. Conditionals can also be analyzed in terms of possible
worlds
Add the content of the if clause to what is currently known
about the actual world. Under those circumstances, would
the then clause be true?

5. ANTECEDENT & CONSEQENT
We refer to the if clause as the antecedent (also known as
the protasis); and to the then clause as the conseqent (or
apodosis).
The names antecedent and consequent reflect the most
basic ordering of these clauses (if p, q), not only in English
but (apparently) in all languages.
 the antecedent names the condition under which the
consequent is claimed to be true

6. Four uses of If
1) Standard Conditional
2) Relevance conditional
3) Factual conditional
4) Concessive conditional

7. Uses of if : Standard conditional
the standard conditional does not commit the speaker to
believing either the antecedent or the consequent to be
true, but does seem to commit the speaker to believing that
some type of relation exists (often a causal relationship)
between the two propositions.

8. standard conditionals
(2) standard conditionals
a. If it does not rain, we will eat outside.
b. If the TV Guide is correct, there is a good documentary on PBS
tonight.
c. There are biscuits on the sideboard if Bill has not moved them.
d. If you take another step, I’ll knock you down.
e. If Mary’s husband forgets their anniversary (again!), she will never
forgive him.
f. If you see George, you should invite him to the part

9. Relevance Conditionals
relevance conditionals, also known as “biscuit conditionals”
When the consequent is a statement of the relevance
conditional seems to commit the speaker to believing the
consequent to be true, regardless of whether the
antecedent is true or not.

10. (3) relevance conditionals (a.k.a. “biscuit conditionals”):
a. There are biscuits on the sideboard if you want them. (Austin
1956)
b. PBS will broadcast Die Walküre tonight, if you like Wagner.4
c. If I may say so, you do not look well
See more examples in page 350

11. factual conditionals
Factual conditionals carry the presupposition that
someone other than the speaker (often the
addressee) believes or has said that the proposition
expressed by the antecedent is true.
(4) A. This book that I was assigned to read is really
stupid.
B. I haven’t read it, but if it is that stupid you
shouldn’t bother with it.

12. concessive conditional
A speaker who uses a concessive conditional asserts that
the consequent is true no matter what, regardless of
whether the antecedent is true or false. This is made explicit
when, as is often the case, the antecedent is preceded by
even if. Notice that the most basic order for concessive
conditionals seems to be the opposite of that for standard
conditionals, i.e., the consequent comes first. In order for
the antecedent to be stated first, it must be marked by
even, focal stress, or some other special marker.

13. Concessive Conditionals
a. I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man on earth.
b. (Even) if the bridge were standing I wouldn’t cross.
(Bennett 1982)
c. I’m going to finish this project (even) if it kills me.

14. Speech acts conditional Vs. Standard
Conditional
the antecedent of a speech act conditional specifies a
condition under which the speech act performed in
the consequent will be felicitous, whereas the
antecedent in standard conditionals specifies a
condition under which the proposition expressed in
the consequent will be true.

15. syntactic differences between speech act
conditionals and standard conditionals
First, speech act conditionals can only be embedded
in the complements of indirect speech verbs, and not
under propositional attitude verbs
Second, standard conditionals allow the consequent
to be introduced with the pro-form then, but speech
act conditionals do not. See the examples in page 370