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Root of a term.
Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2005 11:28 am
by metal56
Does anyone know where the term "zero conditional" comes from and why we use it for labeling the "unchanging Laws of Existence" conditional?
What does that "zero" mean?
(Looking for a bit of etymology here and not a description of zero conditionals per se.)
Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2005 12:21 pm
by lolwhites
My guess is someone coined First, Second and Third, then, after the terms got established in published grammar books, some bright spark said "Hang on a minute - what about If + Present Simple + Present Simple?" Since it appeard more basic, it would have been assigned the number 0 rather than renumber all the others.
As I remember from my physics A-Level, something similar led to a "zeroth" law of thermodynamics.
Now, don't get me started on numbered conditionals...
Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2005 1:17 am
by woodcutter
I can tell you where "one and a half" conditional, for natural sentences such as...
"If we can finally eradicate AIDS using our vaccine, that would be wonderful for all mankind"
...came from. I made it up.
Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2005 8:33 am
by metal56
woodcutter wrote:I can tell you where "one and a half" conditional, for natural sentences such as...
"If we can finally eradicate AIDS using our vaccine, that would be wonderful for all mankind"
...came from. I made it up.
Nice one, but I'm still stuck without an answer to my original question.