Abstract
The present paper deals with different ways of expressing apprehension in Russian by the verbal constructions using subordinating conjunctions как бы (не) and чтобы (не) and the -л-subjunctive verb form or infinitive. The formal structure of the constructions and the peculiarities of the synonymity of the conjunctions are examined in more detail. Special attention is given to the status of the negative particle не. We argue that negation in the apprehensive does not lose its semantic nature but its manifestations are uncommon due to the assertion-suspending contexts it operates within.
Highlights
The present paper deals with different ways of expressing apprehension in Russian by the verbal constructions using the subordinating conjunctions как бы and чтобы and the –л (-l)-subjunctive verb form or infinitive
The most prominent position is held by a construction incorporating the subordinating conjunction как бы1 and an -л (-l) -subjunctive verb form (1) or infinitive (2): (1) Как бы она не простуди-ла-сь!
Besides the combination “adverb + particle”, Old Russian even had the conjunctions какъ бы, какъ было, which expressed the goal of an action or condition (Slovar’ russkogo jazyka XI-XVII, 7, 28–29)
Summary
The present paper deals with different ways of expressing apprehension in Russian by the verbal constructions using the subordinating conjunctions как бы (не) and чтобы (не) and the –л (-l)-subjunctive verb form or infinitive. This paper presents an analysis of the apprehensive construction with the conjunction как бы (не) in complex or simple sentences with an infinitive phrase, in both of which such a construction is often a dependent part (P1), occupying one of the valency positions of the main verb form or the verb phrase of the main part (P2).3 The dependent part communicates a possible situation, which, from the point of view of the speaker (or the subject of the main clause), is undesirable and in Russian can be introduced by the conjunction чтобы (не)
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