Orações-quando temporaiscondicionais

Abstract

This article discusses the polysemy of when, that is, the several meanings that the term can assume beyond its canonical denotation of expressing temporality, namely: causality, concessiveness, conditionality, adversity and proportionality. We specifically approach the temporal-conditional when-clauses. Our goal is investigate the properties for the formation of these sentences. We conclude, in the analysis, that there are, in fact, only two restrictions operating: a reading restriction (cause-effect) and an aspectual restriction (imperfective). We argue, finally, about the existence of a generic operator, GEN, on formal semantic basis, with scope over the temporalconditional clause. In this case, when function as a generic quantifier or, better put, as an adverb of quantification, in the same way others sentences which express genericity.