No abstract

Modal readings o f sentence connectives in German and Portuguese Introduction: Temporal and modal linking o f sentencesThis paper1 deals with an aspect of the semantics of sentence connectives, exemplified by German and Portuguese. Following Pasch, Brauße, Breindl & Waßner (2003) and Blühdom, Breindl & Waßner (2004), we use the term sentence connective for certain elements traditionally classified as conjunctions, adverbs and particles, which share the semantic function of encoding relations between sentences. The semantic relata of sentence connectives are the meanings of the connected sentences or clauses.Since the influential work by Sweetser (1990: 76ff.) it has been widely known that one and the same connective can encode relations of different kinds. As early as the end of the nineteenth century we find the distinction between three types of causal connections in the handbook of German grammar by Blatz (1896Blatz ( /1970.): Der Grund kann 1. ein realer sein (ein Sachgrund, d.h. die Ursache einer Thatsache), z.B. Wallenstein hatte rasch ein großes Heer versammelt, denn die Zahl der unbeschäftigten Abenteurer war bedeutend,oder 2. ein logischer (Erkenntnisgrund, d.h. die Begründung einer ausgesprochenen Ansicht), z.B. Das Gemeine muß man nicht rügen; denn das bleibt sich ewig gleich (Goethe), -oder 3. ein moralischer (Beweggrund zu einer Handlungsweise), z.B. Ich muß ihn hassen; denn er hat mich schwer beleidigt. (Blatz 1896/1970: 708)2In the present paper we define factual reasons (Sachgründe) as states of affairs whose factuality results in the factuality of other states of affairs (see Blühdom 1 We are grateful to the editors of this volume and to the reviewer for their valuable comments and suggestions, as well as to Daniel Gutzmann for an important bibliographical indication.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract