Query Details
| Query Subject: |
Q: mixed conditional sentences
|
| Author: | Kenji Kashino |
| Submitter Email: | click here to access email |
| Query: |
Hello, linguists. I have a question about English subjunctive, especially mixed conditional sentences. The normal pattern of subjunctive past perfect is like this: (1) If you had worked harder, you would have passed your exam. But I sometimes find mixed conditional sentences such as "If+subject+pas tense, subject+ would[could] + have + past participle"in novels, as in: (2) I'd have done the same thing if you were my daughter. (3) If I was a nun, I'd never have had Lucy. (4) If I had brains, I could have solved the problem. My view on this is as follows: These sentences contain stative verbs such as "be", "have" in "if" clauses. When "if" clauses have stative verbs this kind of construction is possible. This will be proved by the unacceptability of the following sentence using action verbs like "visit" in "if" clauses: (5)* If they invited her to the conference, she would have attended. However, the following sentences are strange if not unacceptable even though there are stative verbs in "if" clauses: (6) If I were more careful, I would not have been hit by a truck. (7) If I had one more dollar, I could have bought the bag. It seems to me that this is the problem about permanence or temporariness in "if" clauses. When "if" clauses express permanence , the construction under discussion is possible. On the other hand, when "if" clauses express temporariness, the construction is not possible. >From this principle, sentence (8) below seems to be acceptable. (8) If he weren't such a terrible bore, we'd certainly have visited him more often while he was here. However, I have found the following examples in American novels, which are counterexamples to my principle : (9) She was so high-keyed that if she smoked she would have been a chain smoker. (10) He would have gone right into your bedroom if I didn't stop him. (11) If she were working for Bill, he would have protected her with a reasonably plausible story. I would like to know the acceptability of examples (8)--(11). With best wishes and thanks in advance. Kenji Kashino Professor of English Linguistics Osaka Shoin Women's University, Japan |
