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If clause variation

Factuality and necessity are included in the "if" particle in Arcadia. For possible if clauses, the if particle is:

  • che, to express an implication that the if clause isn't a necessary condition
  • lo, to express anankastics
  • chelo, to express both.

For counterfactuals, a "u" precedes the if particle. Some examples will clarify the uses of each case:

  1. uche savo rici, es obvendavo ye auton.

    • translation: If I were rich, I would buy a car.
    • explanation: I may still buy it even though I'm not rich.

  2. uchelo savo rici, es obvendavo ye auton.

    • translation: If I were rich, I would buy a car.
    • explanation: I'm not rich, so I won't.

  3. ulo savo rici, es obvendavo ye auton.

    • translation: Only if I were rich, I would buy a car.
    • explanation: I'm not rich, so I won't, but even if I was I may not have bought one.

Arcadia is a language that favours dropping information that isn't necessary for the discussion. In this sense, "chelo" and "uchelo" are only to be used when the necessity of the conditional must be conveyed, otherwise "che" and "uche" are to be used.

Examples

  1. che ridevo, es ridevur.

    • translation: When I laugh, everybody is laughing
    • explanation: When I laugh, can be viewed as "if I'm laughing, regardless of past, present, or future"

  2. che venovi ad la dome, es ad edrovi la cenon.

    • translation: If you come home, you'll eat dinner.
    • explanation: The speaker puts "venovi" in the future to specify that it's about a future event. The eat is in the present prospective, as to describe that upon arrival the dinner will start afterwards.