Meaning and interaction in Spanish independent si-clauses

This paper analyzes the coded meaning of the Spanish particle si (< conditional 'if') when it occurs with independent, asserted clauses. While previously analyzed as a marker of contrast, adversativity and/or discursive opposition, I show that these meanings are actually contextually-determined interpretations which arise in situated discourse, most typically in dialogic discourse between two interlocutors. The coded, non-truth-conditional meaning of si is argued instead to be epistemic in nature, marking the proposition that it accompanies as one that is obviously true to the speaker. This analysis allows for a unitary and unifying account of a number of diverse examples that are problematic for prior analyses. The analysis also permits a straightforward understanding of discourse patterns surrounding independent si-clauses, as well as their functional similarity to certain uses of conditional sentence structures. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.