Pragmática, modo y condicionales

Abstract

In contrast with the logico-semantical analyses of conditional (Stalnaker, 1968; Lewis, 1973; Pollock, 1976), it is claimed in this paper that it is not possible to give a sound interpretation to such sentential structures if pragmatic factors are not taken into account. In particular, determinants in the assigment of meaning to any such type of conditional are the epistemic attitude of the speaker towards the protasis, and the nature of the communicative context at the time of the utterance. On the other hand, it is argued that the inferential relations of these conditionals, have their origin in the conventional procedures which the expression of epistemic attitudes follow and which underlie all the conditional, indicative and subjunctive structures in Spanish.