An investigation into conditional sentences in english novel “the red and the black” with their vietnamese equivalents

Previous researches overseas From functional grammar point of view, through investigating some projects such as A Practical English Grammar A.J.Thomson, A.V.Martinet, 1986, English Gram

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY

PHẠM THỊ LAN PHƯƠNG

AN INVESTIGATION INTO CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

IN ENGLISH NOVEL “THE RED AND THE BLACK” WITH REFERENCE TO THEIR VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS

(NGHIÊN CỨU CÂU ĐIỀU KIỆN TRONG TÁC PHẨM VĂN HỌC “ĐỎ VÀ ĐEN” VÀ TƯƠNG ĐƯƠNG TIẾNG VIỆT)

M.A THESIS

Field: English Language Code: 8220201

Hanoi, 2018

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY

PHẠM THỊ LAN PHƯƠNG

AN INVESTIGATION INTO CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

IN ENGLISH NOVEL “THE RED AND THE BLACK” WITH REFERENCE TO THEIR VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS

(NGHIÊN CỨU CÂU ĐIỀU KIỆN TRONG TÁC PHẨM VĂN HỌC

“ĐỎ VÀ ĐEN” VÀ TƯƠNG ĐƯƠNG TIẾNG VIỆT)

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

I, the undersigned, hereby certify my authority of the study project report

entitled An investigation into conditional sentences in English novel “The Red and The Black” with their Vietnamese equivalents submitted in partial

fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in English Language Except where the reference is indicated, no other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the text of the thesis

Hanoi, 2018

Pham Thi Lan Phuong

Approved by SUPERVISOR

Assoc Prof Dr NGUYỄN ĐĂNG SỬU

Date:………

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A piece of work of this magnitude is never the effort of only an individual Surely, this thesis could not be either begun or completed without the help, inspiration and moral support of many people I would like to thank them all here

This work owes its existence to my supervisor Assoc Prof Dr Nguyễn Đăng Sửu, the discussion with whom opened my eyes to the complexity of conditionals From him I have learned more than I could have ever done the work alone His guidance and positive criticism helped to give shape to this work I am grateful to him

I would like to express my gratitude to all lecturers of the Faculty of Graduated Studies, Hanoi Open University for their help, concern and support during the time I am studying

I would also like to send my thanks to all my classmates of NNA6.2 who willingly helped me to accomplish this thesis in many aspects

Last but not least, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my family members who have constantly supported, inspired and encouraged me to complete the graduation paper Without their love and dedication, this academic work would not be translated into reality

ABSTRACT

This thesis discusses about the English conditional sentences in the novel “The Red and the Black” by Stendhal The research is conducted to examine the structures and usage of conditional sentences in English, find out all kinds of conditional sentences being employed in this novel and its Vietnamese equivalents, then discuss as well as suggest some implications related to translating English conditional sentences to Vietnamese teachers and learners The research is the mixed of qualitative and quantitative approaches The source of data is the novel

“The Red and the Black” by Stendhal The main data are conditional sentences in the novel To support the main data, the research is supported by other data taken from internet and grammar books about conditional sentences In order to attain the purpose, the data is analyzed through descriptive and contrastive methods We have studied the basic types and most common forms of 153 conditional sentences in the novel, which prove to have a complex constitution, a wide variety of forms, exceptions and functions Semantically, the most frequent type is the first one which indicates the possibilities in the present or in the future There are some implications have been listed to help Vietnamese teachers and learners of English overcome the difficulties in using and translating English conditional sentences

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Classification of Mood ……… ………….…….12 Figure 2: Classification of Tense 14 Figure 3: The Zero conditional with the same tense in both clauses

………… 20

Figure 4: The First conditional sentences (also called type1) 20 Figure 5: The Second conditional sentences (also called type2) 21 Figure 6: The Third conditional sentences (also called type3) 21 Figure 7: Types of English Conditional Sentences and their basic syntactic features 22 Figure 8: Type of mixed conditional sentences .23 Figure 9: The frequency of basic types of conditional sentences in the novel

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Certificate of originality

Acknowledgements

Abstract

List of figures

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

1.1 Rationale for the study ……… 1

1.2 Aims and objectives of the study 1

1.3 Research questions ……… 2

1.4 Methods of the study 2

1.5 Scope of the study ……… 2

1.6 Significance of the study 2

1.7 Design of the study ……….3

CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Review of previous studies 4

2.1.1 Previous researches overseas 4

2.1.2 Previous researches in Vietnam… 5

2.2 Review of theoretical background .5

2.2.1 English sentence ……… 5

2.2.1.1 Definition ……… 5

2.2.1.2 Types of English sentence ……… 6

2.2.2 Mood ……… ……… 9

2.2.2.1 Concept of Mood ……….……… 9

2.2.2.2 Types of Mood ……….……… 9

2.2.3 Tense ……… 12

2.2.3.1 Concept of tense ……….……….12

2.2.3.2 Types of tense ……… 12

2.2.4 The English conditional sentence 14

2.2.4.1 Definition of conditional sentence ……… 14

2.2.4.2 A semantic overview of conditional sentence ……….…15

2.2.4.3 Different classification of conditional sentence ……….….19

2.3 Summary of the chapter .23

CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research governing orientations 24

3.1.1 Research questions 24

3.1.2 Research setting 24

3.1.3 Research approaches ……….….24

3.1.4 Principles for intended data collection and data analysis ……… 25

3.2 Research methods ……….…25

3.2.1 Major methods vs supporting methods ……… 25

3.2.2 Data collection techniques ……….…26

3.2.3 Data analysis techniques ………26

3.3 Summary of the chapter ……… 27

CHAPTER IV FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 4.1 The structural and semantic features of conditional sentences in the novel and its Vietnamese equivalents ………28

4.1.1 The structural features of conditional sentences in the novel ………….… 28

4.1.2 The basic types of conditional sentences in the novel ……… 29

4.1.2.1 The zero conditional sentences 29

4.1.2.2 The first conditional sentences 30

4.1.2.3 The second conditional sentences 33

4.1.2.4 The third conditional sentences……… 36

4.1.2.5 The mixed conditional sentences 38

4.2 The features of modal verbs in the conditional sentences in the novel …… 40

4.2.1 The first conditional sentence with modal verbs ………… …… ……… 40

4.2.2 The second conditional sentences with modal verbs … ……… 40

4.2.3 Third conditional sentences with modal verbs ……… 41

4.3 Suggestions for translating conditional sentences in the novel ……….42

4.3.1 Supplying learners with adequate knowledge of types of English conditional sentences and their Vietnamese equivalents ……… 42

4.3.1.1 Unreal conditionals in the present ……… 42

4.3.1.2 Unreal conditionals in the past ………… ……….43

4.3.1.3 Mixed conditionals ……… ……… 43

4.3.1.4 Conditional inversions ……….……… 44

4.3.2 Supplying learners with adequate knowledge of pragmatic functions …… 45

4.3.3 Supplying with adequate knowledge of situational contexts ……… 48

4.4 Summary of the chapter ………49

CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS 5.1 Recapitulation……… 50

5.2 Concluding remarks 50

5.3 Limitations of the current research 51

5.4 Recommendations for further research ……….…51

REFERENCES

APPENDICES

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale

Nowadays, English has been spoken all over the world as an international language No one can deny that English plays an important role in social life It is widely used in every field of life such as science, technology, foreign trade, tourism, business, education and so on In Vietnam, it is now a great demand to learn English for the process of integrating into regional and international economic and diplomatic development Moreover, English enables us to communicate with people from different countries and understand more about their tradition and culture However, to many Vietnamese learners who have been learning English for a long time, English grammar still seems to be a puzzle Among a number of complex problems, conditional sentences are really a challenge They are difficult because of their complicated structures with two clauses: subordinate clause or if-clause and main clause In addition, there are many variations which may cause confusion The meanings of conditional sentences are subtle; therefore in order to understand them,

we need to be sensitive enough Moreover, any conditional sentence is a combination of tense and a range of auxiliaries which require learners to grasp before being able to understand and use it

For the above reasons, the main aim of this paper is to examine the structures and semantic functions of conditional sentences in English and Vietnamese in the novel “The Red and the Black” by Stendhal The author will find out all kinds of conditional sentences being employed in this novel and its Vietnamese equivalents and then discuss as well as suggest some implications related to translating English conditional sentences to Vietnamese learners The writer hopes this will be a useful references for both teachers of English and learners

1.2 Aims and objectives of the research

* Aims of the research

The study is expected to offer an overview of English conditional sentences by means of descriptive and contrastive methods through the novel “The Red and the Black” by Stendhal and then to provide Vietnamese learners with the deeper understanding of English conditional sentences and some ways to help them overcome the difficulties in translating them

* Objectives of the research

In order to achieve the aims, the author has set a number of objectives to be

accomplished during the process of conducting this study:

- Firstly, identifying structural features of the types of conditional sentences employed in the novel “The Red and the Black” and their Vietnamese equivalents

- Secondly, pointing out the semantic functions of conditional sentences used in the novel and its Vietnamese equivalents

- And lastly, suggesting some implications for translating English conditional sentences used in the novel

1.3 Research questions

In order to attain the aims, the study will seek to answer the following questions:

- What are the structural features of the types of conditional sentences employed in the novel “The red and the black” and their Vietnamese equivalents?

- What are the semantic functions of conditional sentences used in the novel and their Vietnamese equivalents?

- What are the suggestions for translating English conditional sentences in the novel?

1.4 Methods of the study

Descriptive and analytical methods are also used in the study Description is intended to follow a qualitative approach After the data are collected, the description of the translation of conditional sentences is given

- Firstly, the author reviews the data collected from different sources relating to

English and Vietnamese conditional sentences

- Secondly, English conditional sentences selected from the novel “The red and the black” (Book 1) will be described, analyzed and compared in order to find out the similarities and differences in both English and Vietnamese conditional sentence

- Finally, the research results will be discussed so as to present some suggestions to help Vietnamese learners use conditional sentences effectively

1.5 Scope of the study

Due to limitation of time, reference and capacity, 153 conditional sentences in the novel “The red and the black” by Stendhal are examined, classified into different kinds, compared with Vietnamese equivalents then brings out some suggestions to help those who are interested in conditionals in translating this particular kind of the sentence

1.6 Significance of the study

This study focuses on describing and analyzing the structures and usage of

English conditional sentences described in grammatical books, then examining the

usage of them in different communication circumstances in the novel “The red and

the black” Besides, the paper will also find out the frequency of conditional

sentences in the novel to hypothesize the presence of these conditional sentences

and its Vietnamese equivalents Last but not least, the paper suggests some

suggestions for translating English conditional sentences

1.7 Design of the study

This study is comprised of the following chapters:

Chapter 1 is an introduction presenting some background information and the

rationale of the study The aims, objectives, the scope, the significance and method

of the study are also dealt with in this chapter

Chapter 2 is aimed at presenting the theoretical background of the work Some

essential concepts closely related to the study are carefully discussed one by one

Chapter 3 explains what methods are employed for data collection and analysis,

looks at the selection of subjects and the procedures of data collection and analysis

Chapter 4 finds out the basic types and most common forms of conditional

sentences that appear in the novel, the frequency of conditional sentences and its

Vietnamese equivalents, then, some implications for translating English conditional

sentences are also suggested

Chapter 5 gives conclusion, refers to the limitations and suggests further research

CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Review of previous studies

2.2.1 Previous researches overseas

From functional grammar point of view, through investigating some projects

such as A Practical English Grammar (A.J.Thomson, A.V.Martinet, 1986), English Grammar in Use (Raymond Murphy, 1994), Advanced English Practice (B.D Graver, 1986), Understanding and Using English Grammar (Betty Schrampfer Azar, 1998) and Oxford Guide to English Grammar (John Eastwood, 1997), we

realized that conditional sentences were put into different types based on two criteria: physicalism (real, unreal) and time (past, future, present) There are three basic types:

Type 1 – open conditional sentences and real conditional sentences

Type 2 – unreal conditional sentences and hypothetical condition

Type 3 – unreal condition in the past

Moreover, B.D Graver and John Eastwood also added type 0 in order to indicate condition – consequence Meanwhile, A.V.Martinet and Betty Schrampfer Azar put it into type 1 as the automatic consequences, habit and truth In addition, A.V.Martinet, Betty Schrampfer Azar and John Eastwood talked about mix type such as 1-3, 2-3, 3-2

In universal grammar, the linguists such as Fillmore (1986), Langacker (1987), Sweetser have applied prototype theory on linguistic analyses Eve

Sweetser, in From Etymology to Pragmatics (1990) classified conditional semantics

according to the three domains she speaks of the content domain, the epistemic domain, and the speech act domain in that book

Content-based conditionals are understood by relating the content of the two clauses to each other A typical way in which content conditionals can be understood is for the "P" clause to identify a situation which causes or automatically results in the state of affairs signaled by the "Q" clause

Grammar books agree that there are three or four main types of conditional

clauses Quirk et al (A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language)

distinguished four main types such as the Zero (Cause and Effect) Conditional, the First (Open) Conditional, the Second (Unreal) Conditional and the Third Conditional

2.1.2 Previous researches in Vietnam

Dang Thi Huong (Practical English Grammar, 1998) approached the

conditions from the view of two separation clauses and Mood categories Specifically, the authors suggested that the IF clause was divided into two categories, depending on the speaker's conception, the indicative and Subjunctive (based on the correlation of tense and time); the main clause included Infinitive and Modal and would be changed if it referred to the past, present or future This system came from the perspective of theory and conditional problem was solved flexibly However, when applied in practice, this approach is obviously difficult for the readers who are not English majors

Võ Thị Kim Anh (Different Ways to Express Condition and Concession in English and Vietnamese - M.A thesis, 2010) stated that condition-consequence

relation is often described as “If P then Q” Her article just focused on consequence expressed by subordinating conjunctions

condition-In short, there have been various studies on conditional sentences in general from an article, a scientific research to a graduation paper or a book However, all the authors only focus on the types and meanings, there’s hardly any research into conditional sentences in a novel For this reason, our research is an endeavor to examine the problem of conditional sentences in English grammar and novels

2.2 Review of theoretical background

2.2.1 English sentence

2.2.1.1 Definition of English sentence

There are a number of sentence definitions given by different grammarians

According to L.G Alexander (1988:2), a sentence is defined as “a complete unit of meaning When we speak, our sentence may be extremely involved or even unfinished, yet we can still convey our meaning through intonation gesture, facial expression, etc When we write, these devices are not available, so sentences have

to be carefully structured and punctuated A written sentence must begin with a capital letter and end with a full stop (.), a question mark (?) or an explanation mark (!)"

Roloff and Brosseit in the book “Sentences” (1979:13) writes "sentence is a group of related words that expresses a complete and meaningful thought; either a statement, a question, a command or an exclamation"

In addition, the "New Webster's expanded dictionary" states, "Sentence is an

opinion, a maxim, a judgment, a number of words containing complete sense"

In short, a sentence is a group of words that you use to communicate ideas in writing or in speaking Every sentence is composed of one or more clauses and expresses a complete thought

According to Randolph Quirk and Sidney Greenbaum (1987:12), a sentence may alternatively be seen as comprising five units called elements of structure: subject, verb, complement, object, adverbial abbreviated respectively as S, V, C, O,

A

2.2.1.2 Types of English sentence:

There are different classifications of sentences They are classified

according to purpose, according to syntax or structure, according to form and according to completeness

a Sentences are classified according to purpose

They are further classified into declarative sentence, interrogative sentence, imperative sentence and exclamatory sentence

The purpose of the declarative sentence is to focus the reader’s attention It

invites the reader further to consider the assertion made by the predicate about it

The purpose of the interrogative sentence is to provide assertion with regards

to the concept that is indicated by the questions With this the reader will be directly involve with the development of ideas through asking the reader to phrase the statement

The purpose of the imperative sentence is to show the desire of the writer

with regards to the topics as well as to the actions that is being indicated Imperative sentence involves the reader directly through addressing him or her and asking for a response

The purpose of the exclamatory sentence is to show a sudden or strong

feeling about something In exclamatory sentence, there may be a thought, emotion

or sensation behind It is used to express judgment, sensation and to express relieve

of an internal pressure and the like

b Sentences are classified according to syntax or structure

These classifications are in the form of simple sentence, compound sentence, complex sentence and compound-complex sentence

Simple sentence

A simple sentence is the one that consists of one independent clause According to

Quirk (1976), sentence can be classified into 7 types:

SV: The child laughed

SVA: Mary is in the house

SVC: Mary is a nurse

SVO: Somebody caught the ball

SVOA: I put the plate on the table

SVOC: We have proved him a fool

SVOO: She gives me expensive present

Compound sentence

Most of textbooks (ESL, EFL ) gave a definition about compound sentence as follows: A compound sentence contains at least two independent clauses, often joined by a coordinating conjunction

The coordinating conjunctions are as follows: but, and, nor, either, so, not only, but also… Except for very short sentences, coordinating conjunctions are

always preceded by a comma

E.g: I tried to speak Spanish, and my friend tried to speak English

I played badminton, so you went shopping

I played badminton, for Thuy went shopping

The above three sentences are compound sentences Each sentence contains two independent clauses, and they are joined by a coordinator with a comma preceding it

Complex Sentence

Complex sentence which contains more than one clauses of which one is the main clause, the others are subordinate clauses being part of the main clause The subordinate clauses and main clause are jointed together by subordinating conjunctions

* The main clause is a clause which has a meaningful unit by an independent clause but it also needs one or more subordinate clause complementing for it

* The subordinate clause (dependent clause) is a clause which has to depend on the main clause

- There are many subordinate clauses:

+ Subordinate clause has a function as a noun (noun clause)

E.g: I don’t know / when she will come

Main clause noun clause

+ Subordinate clause has a function as an adjective (adjective clause)

E.g: This is the magazine / which you ordered

Main clause adjective clause

+ Subordinate clause has a function as adverb (adverbial clause)

Adverbial clause show when, where, how, why the action in the main clause occurring So, adverbial clause is named basing on function of it:

- Adverbial clause of time shows when the action in the main clause occurring

E.g: Shut the door / when you leave

Adverbial clause of time

- Adverbial clause of reason shows why the action in the main clause occurring

E.g: He couldn’t join the trip / because he was rich

Adverbial clause of reason

- Adverbial clause of condition shows how the action in the main clause occurring

E.g: The sun’s activities were not so steady / life on the earth would soon cease

E.g: I will come and I will bring some of my friends / if they have a day off

Compound sentence adverbial clause of condition

Therefore, the conditional sentence is one kind of complex sentence because it contains a main clause and subordinate clause (if clause) joined together

by subordinating conjunctions such as if, unless…

c Sentences are classified according to their form

With this they are further classified into periodic sentence, loose or cumulative sentence and balance sentence

The periodic sentence is a form of sentence where the core idea or the main

thought is not completed until the final word

The loose or cumulative sentence is a form of sentence wherein the subject

and the verb are stated early and whatever additional modifier qualifications or exemptions are just added

In the balance sentence, the structure and the phrasing of the second clause is

considered as repetition of the first clause This sentence is just one sentence possessing two balance elements

d Sentences are also classified according to their completeness

With this they are further classified into full sentence and incomplete sentence

A sentence is considered as a full sentence when it is complete grammatically

It should also contain an expressed subject and a predicate, and it should not be introduced by a subordinating word Introduction by a subordinating word is only allowed when the subordinating word belongs to a dependent clause

A sentence is considered as an incomplete sentence when it is not complete

although the context in which the center appears communicates a clear idea

2.2.2 Mood

2.2.2.1 Concept of Mood

Some authors have mentioned the concept of mood in their book

According to E.M.Gordon and I.P.Krylova: “Mood is the form of the which shows the relation between the action expressed by the predicate verb and reality”

This relation is establish by the speaker may wish to present an action as a real fact

or as command (a request) or as something unreal, something that does not exist in reality”

V Vinogradov also expressed the same idea in another way: “Mood expresses the relation of the action to reality as stated by the speaker” Or we can

the definition of mood in some dictionaries For example: The Webster’s New world dictionary, Elementary Edition defines mood as: “the form of the verb that shows whether it is expressing a fact (indicative mood), a wish or possibility (subjunctive mood), or a command (imperative mood).,

2.2.2.2 Types of Mood

There have been a lot of opinions about the difficult types of mood but the most common view is that in modern English there are three moods: Indicative , Imperative mood and subjunctive mood

a Indicative Mood

According to llyish (1971), the use of the Indicative Mood shows that the speakers (or writers) present the action or real Most of what we have said is in the indicative mood, most of what anyone says or writes is in the indicative mood So, this is the most common mood used in any language We can use indicative mood

to give information ( E.g I like reading poetry, we had dinner at six…), to express opinions (E.g I think she is a good student,…) to make promises ( E.g I shall do everything I can help you,…)

However, some doubt about meaning of the indicative may arise if we take into account its use in conditional sentences For instance, in the sentence “I will help him if he asks me”, it may be argued that the action denoted by the verb in the indicative is not represented as a fact but merely as a possibility but this does not affect the meaning of the grammatical form as such It is clear that the condition and the consequence are both real because the verb forms convey such meaning Therefore, in indicative mood the predication need not necessarily be true but the most important thing is that the speaker represents it as being so

b Imperative Mood

The imperative Mood is the plain stem of the verb It may be used in the affirmative (E.g Sit down!) and in the negative form (E.g Don’t go out! Don’t be a fool!) If we want to make a command or request more expressive, we use the emphatic form (E.g Do listen to him! Do be quiet! )

We have the following different kinds of command:

- Command without a subject, for example:

+ Listen to me! (Hãy nghe tôi nói!)

- Command with a subject, for example:

+ Someone cleans the board! (Ai lên lau bảng nào!)

- Command with “let”, for example:

+ Let me take you home!( Để tôi đưa anh về nhà nhé!)

Thus, in English, the imperative verb is severely restricted in tense, aspect, voice and modality

* The present Subjunctive:

The present subjunctive of all verbs is identical with the simple present tense indicative, except that the third person singular form is the same as in all other persons (i.e without the “s” ending) The present Subjunctive form of “to be” is

“be” for all persons

E.g God save the Queen!

Come what may, we will go ahead

This subjunctive is used mainly in case of supposition or in certain set expression which have to be leant as wholes

* The past Subjunctive:

The past subjunctive in English consists of the past subjunctive which is identical with the simple past tense indicative, except that the verb “to be” has

“were” for all persons and the past perfect subjunctive which is identical in form with the past perfect indicative The past subjunctive is used in conditional clauses implying a negative, or in clause in which the condition is combined with improbability or unreality

E.g If I were you I should accept the offer

If I had worked harder, I wouldn’t have failed the exam

Besides, the past subjunctive is also used after such expressions as:

- I wish that… (E.g I wish he visited us more often)

- Suppose that…(E.g Suppose (that) the teacher caught us wasting time)

- I had rather that…(E.g I had rather that you told him that I did)

- As if…(E.g He talked to me as if he knew everything)

- It is (high) time that…(E.g It is high time we went home)

Summary

Figure 1: Classification of Mood 2.2.3 Tense

2.2.3.2 Types of tense

a Present tenses

Comrie (1988:37) states that the present moment is a location fixed in the time line Thus, the present tense is the location of the situation at that point Yet, this seems somehow a controversial argument since situations that coincide with the present moment are rare However, such rare situations do occur Comrie gives an

example with a performative verb: I promise to pay you ten pounds

Comrie (Ibid.: 38) adds that one of the most interesting characteristics of the present tense is that it can be used to refer to situations that occupy a much longer period of time than the present moment, including the present moment

Eg: The Eiffel Tower stands in Paris

Indicative mood

The present Subjunctive

Subjunctive Mood

The past subjunctive

b Past tenses

The past tense is used when the happening state, action or event is related to a definite time in the past, a point that may be called ' then ' The past tense is the marked member of the opposition past/ present, as Fowler (1974:42) suggests that tense in English has only two values from a formal point of view, i.e., [ ± past ] avoiding the use of 'present' in tense opposition A sentence is either marked (+ past) or unmarked (- past)

c Futurity

Traditional grammarians divide time into three fold opposition, i.e., past, present and future, while structuralists, being more committed to form than to meaning, reject the term 'future tense' because there is no verb form that can denote future time like the two forms representing past/ present respectively

Stone (1976:36) states that simple futurity denotes an action with reference to future time or future intention It is distinguished by means of two main markers, viz shall and will whose function is either to give the meaning of pure futurity or to express determination or promise The problem arises, according to Hornby (1977:45) in indicating future activities aside from other notions like likelihood, willingness, and so on

Yet, one can assume that when future events are not inflected by these notions, i.e., likelihood and the like, we are talking about “pure future” The objections that have been raised against dealing with a “future tense” is treated by Daoud (1988:1) who considers tense as a semantic category whose main function is to express the concept of time in its three dimensions, i.e., past, present and future Taking this definition into consideration, Daoud (Ibid.) argues that “future tense” should be treated as an integral part of the English tense-system though most linguists reject the use of “future tense” since the inflectional morphology of the English verb does not include any affix that could be regarded as an explicit marker of future tense

Summary of tense

Figure 2: Classification of tense 2.2.4 The English conditional sentences

2.2.4.1 Definition of conditional sentences

In Cambridge Grammar of English- A Comprehensive Guide - Spoken and Written English- Grammar and Usage, published in 2006, Ronald Carter and Michael McCarthy state that conditionals deal with imagined situations: some are possible, some are unlikely, some are impossible The speaker/ writer imagines that something can or cannot happen or have happened, and then compares that situation with possible consequences or outcomes, or offers further logical conclusions about the situation

Conditionality is conveyed chiefly by means of conditional clauses Conditional clauses are most typically introduced by the subordinate conjunction If:

If it rains, we are going to stay in the house

Conditional clause Main clause

Differences in tense and modality are important to a possible or imagined situation In the conditional clause, tense choices express different types of potential event; in the main clause, modal verbs are used to indicate the unfulfilled outcome

of those events

In terms of definition of English conditional sentence, most authors simply give their discussions of the conditional sentences by analyzing their nature and uses and other possible variations

According to A.J Thomson and A.V Martinet in “A practical English grammar” (1986) and Raymond Murphy C.E Eckersley and J.M Eckersley in

“Comprehensive English grammar for student” (1961) only refer to conditional

Present tenses

Futurity

sentence by analyzing structures, usages, variations

Very few of them give clear-cut definition of conditional sentences With

Randolph Quirk in “University grammar of English” (1972) suggested an idea, I

think, can be considered the core of a definition about conditional sentence:

“Conditional clauses state the dependence of one circumstance or set of circumstances on another”

Collin Cobuilt (1990) in “English grammar” also pointed out: “Sentences containing conditional clauses are sometimes called conditional sentences” and as for him conditional clauses begin with “if” or with conjunctions having similar meaning like “unless”

From the definition above we can define Conditional Sentence as “one kind of complex sentence of at least two main clauses “the main clause (result clause) and

“subordinate clause (if clause)” used to expresses the dependence of one circumstance or set of circumstances on another and in most of cases two clause orderings are acceptable In others words the if- clause sets up the condition for the main clause to produce the result or outcome

2.2.4.2 A Semantic overview of conditional sentences

English conditional sentences express three kinds of sentence about semantic relationship: factual conditional relationships, future (predictive) conditional relationships, hypothetical conditional relationships

a Factual Conditional Sentences:

Factual conditional sentences often appear in everyday English language and ESL/ EFL textbooks It consists of 4 kinds: Generic, habitual, implicit inference, explicit inference

* Generic Factual Conditionals:

General factual conditional express relationships that is true and unchanging

E.g If oil is mixed with water, it floats

If you boil water, it vaporizes

Due to the unchanging truth value, the simple present tense is normally used in both clauses Especially, they often appear in scientific writing because the sciences are often concerned with such absolute relationships

* Habitual Factual Conditionals

Habitual factual conditionals express either their past or present relationships that are typically or habitually true There is a common point between generic

factual and habitual: both express a relationship that is not bounded in time

E.g Present: If I wash the dishes, Sally dries them

Past: If Nancy said, “Jump!” Bob jumped

Habitual factual conditionals are frequent in conversation and usually both clauses have the same tense: simple present in both clauses if habitual relationship refers to extended present time; simple past in both clause if the sentence refers to a

past habit “If” is possible substituted by “when” or “whenever” in both generic and

habitual conditionals and still express more and less the same idea

E.g When (ever) you boil water, it vaporizes

When (ever) I wash the dishes, Sally dries them

* Implicit Inference Factual Conditionals

Implicit inference factual conditionals are different from generic and habitual factual in that they express inferences about specific time-bound relationships As such, they make use of a much, a wider range of tense and aspect markers and they also occur with certain modal auxiliaries

E.g: If it is raining out there, my motorbike is getting wet

If there was any happy man in the world that night, it was John Turney

If you’ll bring some wine, I’ll bring some beer and potato chips

These kinds of conditional sentence is common in conversation and like generic habitual factual, implicit reference factual also tend to use the same tense and aspect or the same modal in both clauses but they make use of a much range of tense and auxiliary verbs However implicit inference factual differ from the other two types in that “when” or “whenever” can not substitute for “if” without changing the meaning and often make the sentence ungrammatical

* Explicit Inference Conditional

In this type, there is no strict parallelism of tense, aspect, or modal in both clauses Because the condition is used as the basis for making an explicit inference:

E.g If someone’s at the door, it must be Peter

If someone has the answer, it should be Rod

Explicit conditionals resemble implicit conditionals in that both refer to specific time-bound events or states are the “if-clause” Both of these conditional involve making inference factual overtly marks the inference process with an inferential modal

E.g Implicit inference: If it is raining out there, my car is getting wet

Explicit inference: If it is raining out there, my car must be getting wet

Because explicit inference conditionals can not occur with the same variety of tense and modal combinations as implicit inferences do so they are more limited in range Explicit inference conditionals, like implicit inference conditionals, can refer

to past as well as present time

E.g Past implicit inference: If he was there, he saw the painting

Past explicit inference: If he was there, he must have seen the painting

b Future (or Predictive) Conditional Sentences

Future conditional sentences express future plans or contingencies

E.g If I win the prize, I will share it with you

Usually, in this type of conditional sentence, simple present is used in the “if clause” and some explicit indication or future time (“will” or “be going to”) is used

in the result clause

E.g If you finish your vegetables, I am going to buy you an ice cream

If it rains, I will stay at home

But sometimes the future outcome expressed in the result clause is not sufficiently certain to warrant use of “will” or “to be going to” Therefore, in this case a weaker modal of prediction such as “may” or “should” can be used

E.g If John hopes to borrow the car, he may be disappointed

If it rains, the reception should take place indoor

The predictive range can use with result clause I future conditional sentences

Will / be going to certain (strong result)

We also can weaken the condition expressed in the if-clause of this kind of conditional sentences by using the modal “should” or the verb “happen” in both of them together

c Hypothetical Conditional Sentences

Hypothetical conditional sentence is the most problematic of the 3 types There following are some of linguistics who have mentioned this in these books

Randolph Quirk: “A hypothetical condition, on the other hand conveys the expectation that the conditional will not be fulfilled”

Marianne Celce Murcia and Diane Lesen- Freeman: “A hypothetical

conditionals express unlikely yet possible events or states in the “if-clause”

E.g If you listened to me, you wouldn’t make mistakes

If we hadn’t lost our way, we would have arrived sooner

In the past, the hypothetical meaning is more absolute than in the present, the sentence is “contrary to fact” or in some books this kind of conditional sentence is called “counterfactual conditionals” (i.e they express impossible events or states in the “if-clause”) Hypothetical meaning in the past time is indicated by “had” plus the - ed participle

E.g If she had seen the film, she would have told you

In the example, the “if-clause” is strongly negated In fact, she didn’t see the film

In the present, the sense is not so much “contrary to fact” as “contrary to assumption”

E.g If you really called the children, you would look after them properly (…but

assume you don’t care for them)

In the future, the sense is weakened further to “contrary to expectation”

E.g If it were to snow tomorrow, the match would have to be cancelled (…but I

don’t expect it will snow)

We can see that with the present and future reference, the past tense is used for hypothetical meaning in conditional clause, the corresponding main clause construction is “would/ should + infinitive” except when the past of another modal auxiliary is used:

E.g If we had enough time, we could do it better

Sometimes, the difference between using a future conditional and a hypothetical and a hypothetical conditional (with present and future reference) is a matter of speaker choice

E.g Future: If I have enough money, I will buy a car

Hypothetical: If I had money, I would buy a car

The choice shows the degree of confidence in the speaker’s mind concerning the fulfillment of the condition: the future conditional express a greater degree of confidence that the condition is a real possibility than does the hypothetical conditional

Through the semantic overview, we can have a better understanding about different kinds of conditional sentences However, the description is not perfect and can’t account for every possible conditional sentence in English

2.2.4.3 Different classifications of conditional clauses

This section deals with various types of conditionals clauses that exist in English The mood of the verb is the key element in identifying the type of condition, certain constructions are fairly standard The verb forms are a salient feature in the description of conditionals and later the classification The classification of the types of conditionals identified as shown subsequently is dependent on the various verb forms used in both the protasis (antecedent) and the apodosis (consequent) The identification, classification and discussion done

in this study is in conformity with most grammarians on conditionals such as (Young, 1989), Goodwin cited in (Fintel, 2012), and whose classification of conditional sentences is based on the verb in the protasis, Robertson also cited

in (Fintel, 2012) whose classification basically follows that of Gildersleeve in classical Greek by identifying four types of conditionals, each determined by the mood of the protasis Depending on which book of grammar one consults, one will find three, four or more English conditional sentence types referred to (and with slightly different names for each), but generally, one can say that there are four that are most recognized These are the zero conditional, the first conditional, the second conditional, the third conditional and the mixed conditional

a The zero conditional sentences

The zero conditional is a structure that expresses that something is (or was) always true, that one action is (or was) always followed by another It is also used to talk about scientific facts - things which always happen under certain conditions It is worth pointing out that most zero conditional sentences will mean the same thing if “when” is used instead of the “if” In the zero conditional therefore, the Present Simple Tense or the past is used in both clauses The Zero conditional is called Zero because it is not about what might,

or will, happen in the future, or about hypothetical or unreal situations, but about things that always happen when something else is done The result or the consequence is always true or certainty

Form Semantic Function If- clause Time ref of

If-clause

Main- clause

Time ref of Main- clause

Real, possible Time-less

generic

Figure 3: The Zero conditional sentences with the same tense

in both clauses

E.g: If you boil water, it vaporizes

If it is raining out there, my motorbike is getting wet

If there was a happy man in the world last night, it was John Turney

b The first conditional sentences: real possibility

The first conditional sentence (also called conditional type 1) is a structure used for talking about possibilities in the present or in the future In other words, it is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled Table 2.2 describes how this is realized

If-clause Time ref

of

If-clause

Main clause

Time ref of Main

Figure 4: The First conditional sentences (also called type 1)

E.g: If I win the prize, I will share it with you

c The second conditional sentences: unreal possibility or dream

The Second Conditional (also called conditional type 2) is a structure used

to talk about unreal situations in the present or in the future It is used to talk

about impossible situations Table (3) shows how this type of conditional is

realized

Form Semantic Function If-

would/should/

could/might

Now

or anytime

Unreal Hypothetical conditional with probable

Present

Figure 5: The Second conditional sentences (also called type 2)

E.g: If you listened to me, you wouldn’t make mistakes

d The third conditional sentences: no possibility

The Third Conditional Sentences (also called conditional type 3) is a structure used for talking about unreal situations in the past In other words, it is used to talk about things which DID NOT HAPPEN in the past The action in the third conditional is characterized by impossibility

unreal probable past result

Past

Figure 6: The Third conditional (also called type 3)

E.g If she had seen the film, she would have told you

e The mixed conditional sentences

When we talk about mixed conditionals, we are referring to conditional

sentences that combine two different types of conditional patterns These combinations are not all that frequent, but the most common combination is when

we have a type 3 conditional in the if-clause (if + past perfect) followed by a type 2 conditional (would + infinitive) in the main clause

- Mixed third / second conditional

With this combination we are contrasting an imagined or real event in the past with the present result of that Consider these examples:

E.g:

If he had taken the medication as prescribed, he wouldn't still be lying sick in bed

If she had taken reasonable precautions, she wouldn't be pregnant now

Note that we can also convey the same idea of past event and present result by using type 3 conditional (if + past perfect, would have + past participle) in both clauses

Eg:

If he had taken the medication as the doctor ordered, he would have recovered by

now

If she had taken reasonable precautions, she would not have got herself pregnant

Tessa would have been furious if she had heard him say that

(Tessa sẽ tức giận nếu như cô ta đã nghe được cậu ấy nói thế.)

- Mixed second / third conditional

The other possibility, though this is less common, is when there is a type 2 conditional in the if-clause (if + past simple) followed by a type 3 conditional (would have + past participle) in the main clause

With this combination, we are describing ongoing circumstances in relation to

a previous past event Consider these examples:

If you were not such a poor dancer, you would have got a job in the chorus

line in that musical

If I were you, I wouldn’t have bought that second – hand car

In short, types of Conditional Sentences can be summed up as in the tables below:

Zero conditional Present simple tense Present simple tense

1st conditional Present simple tense Future tense

2nd conditional Past subjunctive Present conditional tense

3rd conditional Past perfect tense Perfect conditional

Figure 7: Types of English Conditional Sentences and their basic syntactic

features

Type If Clause Main Clause

Present result of past

condition

Past perfect Present conditional

Past result of present or

continuing condition

Simple past Perfect conditional

Figure 8: Types of Mixed English Conditional Sentences

2.3 Summary of the chapter

In this chapter, the theory of conditional sentences and other previous studies related to sentences have been reviewed Theories of conditional sentences such as definition, structures, overview of syntactic and semantic features, and others concepts such as English clauses, sentences, mood and tense have been made clear

in this chapter In addition, all types of conditional sentences have been clearly listed Briefly, what has been mentioned in this chapter is the theoretical background for discussing and finding in chapter 4

CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research governing orientations

3.1.1 Research questions

In order to attain the aims, the study will seek to answer the following questions:

- What are the structural features of the types of conditional sentences employed in the novel “The Red and the Black” and their Vietnamese equivalents?

- What are the semantic functions of conditional sentences used in the novel and their Vietnamese equivalents?

- What are the suggestions for translating English conditional sentences in the novel?

3.1.2 Research setting

This research is conducted to provide a deeper understanding of conditional sentences and the application of conditional sentences in the novel entitled “The Red and the Black” by Stendhal since there are only a few instances where research has been conducted on the conditional sentences in the novel by qualitative and quantitative approach

Marie-Henri Beyle (23 January 1783 – 23 March 1842), better known by his pen name Stendhal, was a 19th-century French writer Best known for the

novels Le Rouge et le Noir (The Red and the Black, 1830) and La Chartreuse de Parme (The Charterhouse of Parma, 1839), he is highly regarded for the acute

analysis of his characters' psychology and considered one of the earliest and foremost practitioners of realism

The Red and the Black (France name: Le Rouge et le Noir) is a

historical psychological novel in two volumes by Stendhal, published in 1830 It chronicles the attempts of a provincial young man to rise socially beyond his modest upbringing through a combination of talent, hard work, deception, and hypocrisy He ultimately allows his passions to betray him

The Red and The Black was translated into Vietnamese by Tuấn Đỗ and

published in 2000 We use this book for our Vietnamese equivalents

3.1.3 Research approaches

To gain the purpose of the research, the researcher analyzed the novel through the mixture of qualitative and quantitative approaches

As it has been stated before, this research was to discover distinctive features

of conditional sentences as well as the frequency of conditional sentences in the

novel “The Red and the Black” and its Vietnamese equivalents in terms of structural and semantic features, therefore the research was appropriate to be conducted from both qualitative and quantitative perspective

Qualitatively, the researcher paid close attention to the text that required the researcher to interpret, explain, describe and analyze in detail due to the research object to offer an in-depth understanding All the conditional sentences were analyzed in the novel “The Red and the Black” and then divided into five types based on their structures and meanings This helped the readers have a particular view about conditional sentences in a novel

Quantitatively, the writer classified the analyzed information based on the research questions The writer also transferred the data into numerical form and made calculations to identify the percentage of subjects sharing the same responses For better comprehension, each concerned problem is presented in a table with numbers and percentages Therefore, in chapter 4, there are three charts that are used to describe the result of our findings

3.1.4 Principles for intended data collection and data analysis

The main data are taken from the novel entitled “The Red and the Black” by Stendhal The data are in the form of words, sentences and paragraphs which are related to the subject matter

The supporting data are obtained from criticism upon the novel, about conditional sentences, and articles and essays related to this novel, the age when it

is written, the works influencing mostly taken from the internet and other sources which are relevant to support the analysis of the conditional sentences in “The Red and the Black”

3.2 Research methods

3.2.1 Major methods vs supporting methods

With the aim of achieving the set goal “examining the conditional sentences” and “finding out the frequency of conditional sentences and its Vietnamese equivalents” in the novel “The Red and the Black”, the researcher used descriptive and contractive method as major methods Descriptive research methods are pretty

much as they sound -they describe situations in combination with three techniques:

observational, case-study and survey The writer chooses observational technique with the main categories being laboratory observation It is called laboratory because it only uses the document and written sources to run the analysis without

conducting research in a field It shows that in laboratory observation, the data in the form of words, sentences or figure have greater significance than merely numbers or frequencies and the results are more meaningful, less time-consuming and cheaper than those obtained with naturalistic observation

Contrastive analysis means the comparison of two languages by paying attention to differences and similarities between the languages being compared

3.2.2 Data collection techniques

First of all, because this study focuses mainly on “if” conditional, the initial step is to screen out all the entire “if” sentences A method for focusing the extraction on just these phrases is, first, to generate concordances for “if” in sub-corpus, and, second, to extract the recurring string from that output and tally the frequency of each throughout the corpus We began to survey the occurrence of if-sentences Some disqualified materials were eliminated from the corpora for

example, “only if”, “as if”, “what if”, “if necessary”, “if any” and “if possible” …

Additionally, some pro-forms are used to substitute a whole sentence, for instance:

If so, please let me know (Halliday & Hasan, 1976) “if so” and others, such as “if not”…etc., were also singled out for their absence of subject and verb (though they

can be inferred, the risk of misinterpretation may occur), since our purpose lies in the verb change in the sentences Moreover, those with incomplete structures were

not considered, including the sentence introduced by if but not being a conditional

and the sentence without its main clause

3.2.3 Data analysis techniques

We collected all the conditional sentences in the novel “The Red and the Black” All the collected data were qualitatively and quantitatively processed The samples were interpreted contextually with the reference to the types of conditional sentences to check if these sentences should be analyzed in the most preferable and reasonable way Conditional sentences were divided into different categories according to the procedure of finding out the semantic, syntactic features of all ways to express condition

Then we sought sentences that belong to the same catalogue and studied their structures and meanings to create matrices of categories Therefore, conditional sentences were divided into five groups such as type 0, type 1, type 2, type 3 and mixed type After we obtained the taxonomy of the linguistic devices carrying these semantic features, we looked at the data in many different ways to avoid premature

conclusions and also treated the evidence fairly to produce analytic conclusions answering the original “what” research questions

Afterwards, the writer used a percentage table to analyze the data

The following formula was used to get the percentage as an example:

P = the percentage of the conditional sentence types

F = the frequency of the conditional sentence types

N = the number

The writer computed the conditional sentences percentage and classified them into the standard of the levels

3.3 Summary of the chapter

The research was qualitative and quantitative research The source of the data was the novel “The Red and the Black” by Stendhal The main data were conditional sentences in the novel To support the main data, the research was supported by other data taken from internet and grammar book about conditional sentences

In order to attain the purpose, the data of the research was analyzed through descriptive and contrastive methods These methods were appropriated to analyze the data because they were related to the use of sentences in a linguistic work

Data was collected by generating concordances for “if” in sub-corpus and then extracting the recurring string and tallying the frequency of each throughout the corpus After that, data was analyzed to create matrices of categories and flow charts

Our corpora are not big enough and this may not allow us to discover more about conditional sentences in other novels Also, the data analysis based mostly on our inference from the linguistic context may lead to subjective decisions on the conditional sentences

The next chapter presents the findings and discussion of the study The discussion and presentation have been done in conformity with the objectives of the study

CHAPTER IV FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

The previous chapter has presented the research methodology and design

It has shed light on the actual approach adopted in this study and the rationale behind the choice of the quantitative and qualitative approach

In this chapter, the findings of the study are discussed in light of the research objectives and the theoretical framework of the study The chapter sets out by providing an argument on the existence of conditional sentences in the novel “The Red and the Black” by Stendhal The chapter then proceeds to discuss various types of conditional sentences that exist in this novel, the syntax of conditional types, the differences that exist between different types of conditionals and its Vietnamese equivalents

Despite much debate, the standard analysis of conditional meaning still remains one which parallels unidirectional logical implication, sufficient but not necessarily conditionality in the logical world However, various analysts have brought up ways in which the interpretation of conditional structures is not strictly unidirectional Geis and Zwicky have remarked that the actual interpretation of many conditional sentences is a doubled of one interpretation

A different interpretation and variety is also denoted in the novel “The Red and the Black” by Stendhal, which was chosen to develop the investigation of this thesis, through its large spectrum of conditional sentences that prove a high range of creativity and knowledge possessed by the author

4.1 The structural and semantic features of conditional sentences in the novel and its Vietnamese equivalents

4.1.1 The structural features of conditional sentences in the novel

Conditional sentences are expressing factual implications, or hypothetical situations and their consequences They are so called because the validity of the main clause of the sentence is conditional on the existence of certain circumstances, which may be expressed in a dependent clause or may be understood from the context

All conditional sentences contain a dependent clause and an independent clause The dependent clause usually begins with “if”; it expresses a condition The independent clause expresses a result of the condition The if-clause is usually first, but the order of the clauses is usually not important Thus, these two sentences have basically the same meaning The main clause can be at the end, or at the beginning

of the sentence In case of the latter, a comma is not used

If clause (Condition) Main clause (Result)

If anyone tells on me,

Nếu tôi bị phát giác,

I’ll get the sack” [p.12]

thì người ta sẽ thải hồi chức tôi [p 81]

Eg:

If my husband has heard any noise, it’s the end of me [p.93]

(Ngộ nhỡ nhà tôi nghe thấy tiếng động, thì tôi nguy mất.)

“If you wanted to dismiss me, I should be obliged to leave” [p.36]

(Ví thử ông muốn đuổi tôi đi, tôi vẫn cứ bắt buộc phải đi.)

According to many grammarians there are different classifications of conditional sentences One distinction is between those that are considered basic in

English - 0, 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd types, and those that denote an unusual mix of tenses-mixed conditionals There is also the distinction between conditionals that are considered factual or predictive, and those that are considered counterfactual or speculative

(referring to a situation that did not or does not really exist), there are conditional

sentences which require a specific paradigm of formation and other ones that involve a variety of modals

4.1.2 The basic types of conditional sentences employed in the novel “The Red and the Black” and their Vietnamese equivalents

4.1.2.1 The zero conditional sentences

Zero conditionals are for situations that are always true They are often used in scientific writing Its structure:

If clause, Main clause Present tense Present tense

Type “0” is categorized into two types: Generic and Habitual

Generic conditional sentences are used to express situations that are true and unchanging The structure of this takes simple present in both part of a conditional sentence This type is usually used in scientific writings

Example: If the temperature drops below 0 0 C, water freezes

Habitual conditional sentences are used to express a habit The structure of habitual conditional sentences takes part or present situations that are true

Example: If I wash the dishes, Sally dries them

There is, however, no example of conditional sentence type zero in the novel “The

Red and The Black”

4.1.1.2 The first conditional sentences

According to the proportional calculations, 55 per cent of conditional sentences type 1, thus 84 examples from the total number of conditionals selected from the novel, were determined Like the basic rule says – this kind of conditional

is a structure used for talking about possibilities in the present or in the future

I’ll spend out my terms to him against [p.71]

ta lại giở trò xét lại giao kèo

- The “if clause” precedes, there is a comma

Example:

If you prefer, I’ll give you four thousand francs a year [p.78]

(Nếu mày thích thế này hơn, tao cho mày bốn nghìn quan một năm) [p.180]

If you really want to know what goes on there, I’ll ask M de Maugiron and M

Valenod for details [p.101]

(Nếu anh tha thiết muốn biết họ làm những gì trong đó, thì để tôi hỏi chi tiết ông

Đơ Moogirong và ông Valono.) [p.212]

A negotiation is implied in this situation

- The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence In this case, we do

not use a comma

Example:

I will go and fetch the mitre if your lordship allows [p.110]

(Để tôi đi lấy mũ về nếu Đức Cha cho phép)

In this case, the sentence shows a promise or willingness to do something

I shall be dishonoured here and in Besancon if he appears among my clergy

If I don’t prevent this duel, I shall be my husband’s murderer [p.166]

(Nếu ta không ngăn cản cuộc quyết đấu này, thì ta sẽ là kẻ giết chồng.) [p.310]

→ the fact that a duel is going to happen and she intends to prevent it

If I don’t take on the young abbe Sorel, who is said to know Latin like an angel, the master of the workhouse, that eternal agitator, could well have the very same idea, and snap him up first [p.17]

Nếu mình không mời cậu bé thầy dòng Xoren kia, nghe nói giỏi Latin ghê lắm, thì lão giám đốc bệnh viện tế bần, con người đầu óc không để yên lúc nào, rất có thể lão cũng có ý nghĩa như mình và hớt mất của mình không biết chừng [p.87]

Variations

- In the first conditional (where the condition clause expresses a possible future

condition), after “ if” there can not follow a future pattern as “will or shall”, even

though the novel “The Red and the Black” reveals a wide variety of conditional

sentences that score after “if “ the future auxiliary will, shall This fact is due to the

author’s tendency to emphasize some statement and acts, to make it more expressive and original This phenomenon is widely used by many other authors of novels, essays and poems As example can serve the following sentence:

If M Rubigneau will be good enough to read out a Latin sentence at random, then instead of continuing with the Latin next, I shall try to translate it impromptu

- The author also uses “can”, “must” instead of “will” to express a very probable action or an obligation

He can’t speak of his house, his estate, etc if his wife is present without saying your house, your estate [p.149]

(Ông ta không thể nào nói đến nhà của ông, lãnh thổ của ông v.v…nếu có mặt vợ ông ta, mà lại không nói nhà cửa của mợ, lãnh thổ của mợ.) [p.286]