Root of a term.

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 11:28 am

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.)

lolwhites · Post by **lolwhites** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 12:21 pm

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...

woodcutter · Post by **woodcutter** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 1:17 am

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.

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 8:33 am

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.