whetherとifの交替について

概要

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This paper deals with the alternation of whether and its close equivalent if, which are used specifically to introduce dependent yes/no interrogative clauses expressing indirect questions. In many cases, it is possible to substitute if for whether or vice versa without changing the meaning of the sentence. However, in cases such as in the introduction of a subject complement clause and a to-infinitive clause, if cannot be used, while whether can be appropriately used. Preceding studies have not attempted to clarify the rule and conception which govern the alternation of whether and if in these constructions. Therefore, this paper aims at the presentation of the rule as stated above. This author shows that the situations in which the alternations of whether and if cannot be allowed are similar to the situations where that in that -clause cannot be left out. Also shown is the reason why the alternations cannot be allowed in some cases having to do with factors such as the language user's analogy and ability of understanding of the utterances. Moreover, this author insists that in the cases in which only whether can be used, the introduction of whether contributes to the manifestation of nounness for clause-structures and phrase-structures with an otherwise low degree of nounness.
久留米大学の論文