The Temporal Interpretation of Conditional Sentences in Arabic Language

Abstract

Contexts of the conditional sentences can affect temporal interpretation. Conditional sentences are the sentences which combine two clauses, namely the conditional clause (protasis) and the answer clause (apodosis), and each clause completes meanings of the conditional sentences. This article aims at 1) revealing the temporal features of conditional sentences, based on the semantic aspects of the grammatical verb, namely tenses, aspects and moods, and based on interactions between these aspects; 2) identifying the temporal relations in internal conditional sentences. To achieve this objective, this article uses a descriptive qualitative research method through analyzing the temporal interpretation of conditional sentences in standard Arabic texts as evidence. The results of the study show that the temporal interpretation of conditional sentences is largely determined by the features of the conditional mood and is affected by the interaction of tenses, aspects and moods, while the temporal relations in the internal conditional sentences are divided into independent and dependent relations.