Conditional Sentences in Modern Written Arabic

Abstract

This study is concerned with the semantic and the functional aspects of Arabic conditional sentences. The motivation behind the study is the existing gaps in previous studies. The framework applied in this study is influenced by some Western linguistic analyses which mainly targeted English conditionals. Additionally, based on the findings, some comparisons between Arabic and English are drawn in order to determine the similarities and the differences between the two languages. This study particularly adopts a certain number of parameters; namely: Modality meanings and their temporal interpretations, the relationship between the two clauses, discourse functional roles and the interaction between conditional particles and other conjunctions and particles. Methodologically, the data included in this study is drawn from a range of Modern Written Arabic sources; hence, the results are proved by empirical evidence based on real texts. This research conducts a qualitative and detailed investigation for the actual use of Modern Written Arabic conditionals with relation to the parameters adopted. As a result, a number of classifications have been identified. These are sometimes supplemented with statistical descriptions. Additionally, this study shows how conditional sentences semantically and functionally act in real Modern Written Arabic texts. i.e. how they denote a variety of meanings and perform functional and textual roles. Finally, the broader contribution of this study is that it provides new insights and a deeper understanding of Arabic conditionals.