Veridicality and the cause-effect relation in Russian esli- and raz-conditionals: experimenting with conditional perfection and logical entailment

Abstract

Abstract This paper experimentally investigates the role of veridicality and the cause-effect relation in the derivation of (a) conditional perfection and (b) logical entailment in Russian esli-conditionals and raz-conditionals. It provides further evidence that conditional perfection is a structurally defined phenomenon. Moreover, it presents a crosslinguistic and intra-linguistic variation in conditional connectives used in indicative and subjunctive counterfactual conditionals. Finally, confirming the causal network theory proposed in Schulz (2007, Minimal models in semantics and pragmatics: Free choice, exhaustivity, and conditionals. Amsterdam: ILLC Dissertation), the paper points out that effect-to-cause subjunctive counterfactuals are less acceptable than cause-to-effect ones.