Causal clause in the Spanish language

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A justification or causal clause , oración causal, is a special form of an adverbial subordinate clause in grammar .

A causal clause is generally used in grammar to describe that a special subordinate clause (protasis) describes the reason for a fact in the main or inferential clause (apodosis) in more detail. In other words, the reason or the cause for an action or process is given in the causal clause.

Explanation

Causal clauses are introduced subordinate clauses; They are introduced by subordinate causal conjunctions , conjunciones causales . - Examples: 

Las mareas son causadas por la fuerza de gravedad de la luna. Die Gezeiten sind bedingt durch die Gravitationskraft des Mondes.
Estaba mojada, porque llovía. Ich war noch durchnäßt, weil es regnete. Pretérito imperfecto de indicativo

Justification sentences are to be distinguished from conditional sentences. In the causal relationships, the claim to factuality of the prerequisite is postulated in the subordinate clause (protasis). Because it is not only asserted or established that as a rule, according to all that we know from experience, the tides occur because the gravitational pull of the moon acts, but also implies that tides occur or can be observed.

A compound sentence with a subordinate connection leads to a sentence structure . In general, there are three types of subordinate propositions or subordinate clauses:

  • the subordination with noun function, subordinadas sustantivas ;
  • the subordination with adjective function, subordinadas adjetivas ;
  • the subordination with adverbial function, subordinadas adverbiales .

The justification or causal clause, oración causal, belongs to the latter classification class .

From this additional assumed truth of the presupposition (protasis) also follows the truth of the conclusion in the main clause (apodosis), the consecuencia . In causal clauses, the subordinate clause (protasis) always represents the antecedent and the main clause the consequent. The (past) experience formulated in a statement of reasons refers to an experienced, appropriate idea of reality formed in the actual or actual world . Repeatedly “ experiencing ” this situation leads to a (generalizing) conditional relationship . - example:

The question pronouns in the German causal sentence are “Why?” “Why?” “Why?” “Why?” Or “For what reason or occasion?” In Spanish ¿Por qué? ¿Por lo cual? ¿Por qué motivo? - example: 

Kausalbeziehung, oración causal: ¿Por qué lo has comprado? Lo he comprado porque es barato. Warum hast du es gekauft? Ich habe es gekauft, weil es billig ist.

The main causal connectors in Spanish are:

spanish words German translations
puesto que because ... yes ...; there
dado que given that
ya que there ... namely ...
como there
porque because
por esta razón for this reason
pues because; so
por because of
por eso that's why
toda vez que there, always that
a causa de thereby, as a result of

If the justification of the subordinate clause (Protasis) is mentioned before the consequence, the main clause (Apodosis), the causal conjunction como , but also ya que and puesto que are used . So here the subordinate clause always comes before the main clause. - Examples: 

Como no tengo tiempo, tendremos que suspender el partido de fútbol. Da nicht ich habe Zeit, wir müssen suspendieren die Fußballpartie.
Pues yo pensaba que podías explicármelo. Also ich dachte noch, dass du könntest erklären mir es. Pretérito imperfecto de indicativo

Justification clauses are adverbial clauses that indicate the cause, the motive or a reason for what is stated in the main clause (apodosis) in the subordinate clause (protasis). There is a cause and effect relationship between the subordinate clause and the main clause. Examples: 

No lo hizo, porque no quiso. Nicht es er/sie tat, weil nicht er/sie wollte. Pretérito perfecto simple
Saldré esta tarde pues me siento muy bien. Ich werde gehen diesen Nachmittag, denn ich fühle mich sehr gut. Futuro simple
Clause 1 Clause 2
Protasis Apodosis
subordinate clause main clause
Oración subordinada Oración principal
Antecedents, antecedents Consistent, consiguiente
"Antecedent" "Subsequent or subsequent sentence"
Motive, reasons, causes, causa Effect, consecuencia
Independently Dependent
coordination Subordination

According to Galán Rodríguez (1999), the causal linkages in Spanish can be semantically described by two entities or groups:

  • so that would express a “causa real” ; in which the main clause (apodosis) establishes a state of affairs and the subordinate or causal clause (protasis) specifies the objective reason or the actual cause that leads or has led to this state of affairs;
  • so, which expressed a "causa lógica" ; in which the subordinate or causal clause (protasis) provides a justification for what is claimed in the main clause (apodosis).

According to this, causal conjunctions can be assigned to the two groups. The conjunctions porque and pues can be assigned to the first or second group as the typical representatives. But this semantic demarcation can also be carried out for more complex conjunctions, for example por causa de que , a causa de que , por razón de que , debido a que , teniendo en cuenta que are viewed as those conjunctions that combine a causal clause with a "causa real ” , While causal sentences introduced by puesto que , ya que , dado que are to be interpreted in the sense of a “ causa lógica ” .

Mode and causal clause

The (affirmative) adverbial clauses introduced by causal conjunctions are in the indicative , indicativo . But if the facticity or the truth value of the causal clause is denied, the subjunctive can also be used. 

¿Por qué lo haces? Lo hago porque quiero. Warum es du machst? Es ich mache weil ich möchte. Presente de indicativo + Presente de indicativo

Lo hago no porque tú me lo digas sino porque quiero. Es ich mache nicht weil du mir es sagest, sondern weil ich möchte. Presente de indicativo + Presente de subjuntivo + Presente de indicativo

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Connectors with a causal meaning-Conjunciones causales. Justo Fernández López
  2. ↑ Elena Santillán: Spanish Morphosyntax. A study book for teaching, learning and practicing. Narr, Tübingen 2015, ISBN 978-3-8233-6980-6 , p. 94
  3. ↑ Kerstin Störl-Stroyny: Causality in the interplay of grammaticalization processes - an example of Romance language development. With analyzes of Spanish texts from the Middle Ages to modern times. P. 178
  4. ↑ causal clauses-Oraciones causales. Justo Fernández López hispanoteca.eu
  5. ↑ Claudia Moriena; Karen Genschow: Great Spanish learning grammar: rules, examples of use, tests; [Level A1 - C1]. Hueber Verlag, Munich 2010, ISBN 978-3-19-104145-8 , p. 589.
  6. ↑ Wolfgang Halm: Modern Spanish short grammar. Max Hueber, Munich 1987, ISBN 3-19-004020-6 , p. 219.
  7. ↑ Carmen Galán Rodríguez: La subordinación causal y final. In: Ignacio Bosque, Violeta Demonte (ed.): Gramática descriptiva de la lengua española. Real Academia Española, Espasa Calpe, Madrid 1999, § 56.4.2.1, p. 3601; 3615-3621
  8. ^ Foro de consultas-Archivo. Justo Fernández López. hispanoteca.eu
  9. ^ Helmut Berschin , Julio Fernández-Sevilla, Josef Felixberger: The Spanish language. Distribution, history, structure. 3. Edition. Georg Olms, Hildesheim / Zurich / New York 2005, ISBN 3-487-12814-4 , p. 281