Cover not available

Article published In: Revue Romane
Vol. 49:1 (2014) ► pp.53–68

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
authorization required

Factividade e modo verbal

 | Stockholm University

Article language: Spanish

Published online: 27 May 2014
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/rro.49.1.03ves
The traditional way of explaining the subjunctive mood in Portuguese is utterly related to the distinction made between reality and non-reality. That is, while the indicative mood has been explained in terms of reality, the subjunctive has been the mood of non-reality. Although this explanation covers many occurrences of the subjunctive mood, it is also recognized that it fails to explain the use of the subjunctive mood in factive contexts. This being so, the present study aims at explaining the variation between the indicative and subjunctive mood in factive contexts from a Cognitive Grammar perspective. The hypothesis put forward is that the mood variation can be explained in terms of dominion and control. Thus, it is claimed that the subjunctive mood in factive contexts can be explained by a reduced degree of active control, this being consistent with an event that is located outside the conceptualizer’s dominion of effective control. On the other hand, the indicative mood occurs in contexts of epistemic control that are located inside the conceptualizer’s epistemic dominion. An additional analysis of the subjunctive mood in other grammatical contexts corroborates the initial claim.
References (23)
Achard, M. (1998): Representation of cognitive structures – syntax and semantics of French Sentential Complements. Mouton de Gruyter, Berlin/New York. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kiparsky, P. & C.I Kiparsky. (1971): Fact, in: Steinberg, D. & L. Jakobovits (eds.): Semantics; an interdisciplinary reader in philosophy, linguistics and psychology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 345-369.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Langacker, R.W. (1987): Foundations of cognitive grammar, vol. 1 – theoretical prerequisites. Stanford University Press, Stanford.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (1991): Foundations of cognitive grammar, vol. 2 – descriptive application. Stanford University Press, Stanford.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (1993): Reference-point constructions. Cognitive Linguistics, 4,1, pp. 1-38. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2002): Concept, image, and symbol. Mouton de Gruyter, Berlin/New Work.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2004): Aspects of the grammar of finite clauses, in: Achard, M. & S. Kemmer (eds.): Language, culture and mind. CSLI Publications, Stanford, pp. 535-577.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2008): Cognitive grammar: A basic introduction. Oxford University Press, New York. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2009): Investigations in cognitive grammar. Mouton de Gruyter, Berlin/New York. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Maldonado, R. (1995): Middle-subjunctive links, in: Hamispour, P., R. Maldonado & M. Van Naerssen (eds.): Studies in language learning and Spanish linguistics in honor of Tracy D. Terrell. McGraw Hill, New York, pp. 399-418.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Marques, R. (1995): Sobre o valor dos modos conjuntivo e indicativo em português. Dissertação de mestrado. Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (1996): Sobre a selecção de modo em orações completivas, in: Actas do XII encontro nacional da Associação Portuguesa de Linguística, Vol. I1. Colibri, Lisboa, pp. 191-202.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2009): On the selection of mood in complement clauses, in: Hogeweg, L., H. de Hoop & A. Malchukov (eds.): Cross-linguistic semantics of tense, aspect and modality. John Benjamins Publishing Company, Amsterdam, pp. 179-204. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2010): Modality, context change potential and mood selection in European Portuguese, in: Becker M.G. & E.-M. Remberger (eds.): Modality and mood in romance. Interpretation, mood selection, and mood alteration. De Gruyter, Berlin/New York, pp. 133-162.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mejías-Bikandi, E. (1998): Presupposition and old information in the use of the subjunctive mood in Spanish. Hispania 81,1, pp. 941-948. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Shibatani, M. (2002): Introduction. Some basic issues in the grammar of causation, in: Shibatani, M. (ed.): The grammar of causation and interpersonal manipulation. John Benjamins Publishing Company, Amsterdam, pp. 1-22. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Terrell, T. (1995): Assertion and presupposition in Spanish complements, in: Hamispour, P., R. Maldonado & M. Van Naerssen (eds.): Studies in language learning and Spanish linguistics in honor of Tracy D. Terrell. McGraw Hill, New York, pp. 342-360.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Terrell, T. & J. Hooper (1974): A semantically based analysis of mood in Spanish. Hispania 57,3, pp. 484-494. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tlâskal, J. (1984): Observações sobre tempos e modos em português, in: Herculano de Carvalho, J.G. & J. Schmidt-Radefeldt (eds.): Estudos de linguística portuguesa, Vol. 11. Coimbra Editora, Coimbra, pp. 237-255.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Vesterinen, R. (2006): Subordinação adverbial – um estudo cognitivo sobre o infinitivo, o clítico SE e as formas verbais finitas em proposições adverbiais do Português Europeu. Tese de doutoramento. Universidade de Estocolmo, Estocolmo.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2008): Complementos finitos e infinitivos dos verbos deixar e fazer - causação directa vs. indirecta e a noção de controlo. Studia Neophilologica, 80,1, pp. 75-98. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2010a): Uma aproximação cognitiva ao modo conjuntivo. Revista Portuguesa de Humanidades. Estudos Linguísticos, 14,1, pp. 151-174.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2010b): The relation between iconicity and subjectification in Portuguese complementation: Complements of perception and causation verbs. Cognitive Linguistics, 21,3, pp. 573-60 Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (1)

Cited by one other publication

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 30 november 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue