This thesis presents a case for a binary modal conditional operator compatible with both circumstantial and epistemic modal bases. Certain contexts involving might conditionals require might to take wide-scope over a conditional proposition. A restrictor-view analysis of conditionals is unable to derive both the intuitive meaning of the might conditional and the necessary conditional proposition without positing a covert circumstantial necessity modal. However, based on observations of the temporal orientation of conditionals, such a modal lacks independent motivation. On the other hand, a binary modal conditional operator not only provides the necessary conditional proposition but is also able to derive the intuitive meaning of the might conditional while accounting for the observed modal environments of conditional antecedents and conditional consequents.
","abstract_html":"<p>This thesis presents a case for a binary modal conditional operator compatible with both circumstantial and epistemic modal bases. Certain contexts involving <em>might</em> conditionals require <em>might</em> to take wide-scope over a conditional proposition. A restrictor-view analysis of conditionals is unable to derive both the intuitive meaning of the <em>might</em> conditional and the necessary conditional proposition without positing a covert circumstantial necessity modal. However, based on observations of the temporal orientation of conditionals, such a modal lacks independent motivation. On the other hand, a binary modal conditional operator not only provides the necessary conditional proposition but is also able to derive the intuitive meaning of the <em>might</em> conditional while accounting for the observed modal environments of conditional antecedents and conditional consequents.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Tsai, Eric J"],"institution":"The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York","degree_name":"Master of Arts","degree_level":"Master","degree_discipline":"Linguistics","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Sam Al Khatib"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2018,"date_issued":"2018-02-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2018-02-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:00:04Z","subjects":["Linguistics","Semantics and Pragmatics","kratzer","von fintel","restrictor view","modality","strict implication","material implication"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2529","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Sam Al Khatib"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Tsai, Eric J"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-01-28T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Linguistics"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Linguistics","Semantics and Pragmatics","kratzer","von fintel","restrictor view","modality","strict implication","material implication"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2529"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis presents a case for a binary modal conditional operator compatible with both circumstantial and epistemic modal bases. Certain contexts involving might conditionals require might to take wide-scope over a conditional proposition. A restrictor-view analysis of conditionals is unable to derive both the intuitive meaning of the might conditional and the necessary conditional proposition without positing a covert circumstantial necessity modal. However, based on observations of the temporal orientation of conditionals, such a modal lacks independent motivation. On the other hand, a binary modal conditional operator not only provides the necessary conditional proposition but is also able to derive the intuitive meaning of the might conditional while accounting for the observed modal environments of conditional antecedents and conditional consequents.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Revisiting Lockhart: A Case for a Conditional Operator"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Sam Al Khatib"],"dc:creator":["Tsai, Eric J"],"dc:date.available":["2018-01-28T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis presents a case for a binary modal conditional operator compatible with both circumstantial and epistemic modal bases. Certain contexts involving might conditionals require might to take wide-scope over a conditional proposition. A restrictor-view analysis of conditionals is unable to derive both the intuitive meaning of the might conditional and the necessary conditional proposition without positing a covert circumstantial necessity modal. However, based on observations of the temporal orientation of conditionals, such a modal lacks independent motivation. On the other hand, a binary modal conditional operator not only provides the necessary conditional proposition but is also able to derive the intuitive meaning of the might conditional while accounting for the observed modal environments of conditional antecedents and conditional consequents.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2529"],"dc:subject":["Linguistics","Semantics and Pragmatics","kratzer","von fintel","restrictor view","modality","strict implication","material implication"],"dc:title":["Revisiting Lockhart: A Case for a Conditional Operator"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Linguistics"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts"],"thesis:institution_name":["The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:00:04Z"}