A STUDY OF CONDITIONAL SENTENCES IN THE NOVEL “JANE EYRE” BY CHARLOTTE BRONTE AND THEIR VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................3
1.1. Rationale..........................................................................................................................................3
1.2. Aims of Study................................................................................................................................3
1.3. Scope of the Study.......................................................................................................................3
1.4. Research Methods.......................................................................................................................4
DEVELOPMENT..................................................................................................5
2.1. Literature Review........................................................................................................................5
2.1.1. Mood................................................................................................................ 5
a) Indicative Mood...................................................................................................5
b) Imperative Mood.................................................................................................5
c) Subjunctive Mood................................................................................................6
2.1.2. Tense...............................................................................................................8
2.1.2.1. Concept of tense..........................................................................................8
2.1.2.2.

Types of tense......................................................................................................................8

2.1.3. The English Conditional sentences.............................................................10
2.2. Findings and Discussions........................................................................................................12
2.2.1. The basic types of conditional sentences employed in the novel "Jane
Eyre" and their Vietnamese equivalents...............................................................12
2.2.1.1. The zero conditional sentences.................................................................12
2.2.1.2. The first conditional sentences..................................................................14
2.2.1.3. The second conditional sentences.............................................................17
2.2.1.4. The third conditional sentences................................................................21
2.2.1.5. The mixed conditional sentences..............................................................23
2.2.2. The pragmatic functions of conditional sentences in the novel and its
Vietnamese equivalent............................................................................................25
2.2.3. Implications for translating conditional sentences in the novel................31

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2.2.3.1. Some mistakes that learners often have in using English conditional
sentences in the novel.............................................................................................31
2.2.3..2. The ways to help learners overcome difficulties in translating English
conditional sentences in the novel.........................................................................32
REFERENCES....................................................................................................38
APPENDICES......................................................................................................40

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INTRODUCTION
1.1. Rationale
Over the past decades, English has become the most dominating language
of the world and a great ladder for the process of integrating into regional and
international economic and diplomatic development.
However, for many Vietnamese learners, grammar is considered as one of
the biggest arduous issues in English, and one of the most difficult sentence
construction to comprehend is conditional sentences. Because English
conditionals require producing grammatically correct conditional sentences
while coordinating verb forms in both the “ if” and the result clauses.
Additionally, the fact that verb forms often do not retain their normal temporal
meaning makes it even more complex.
Therefore, in this study, I would like to set an examination for the
structures and the usage of conditional sentences in English and Vietnamese in
the novel “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte and its Vietnamese equivalents and
then discuss as well as suggest some implications related to translating English
conditional sentences to Vietnamese learners.

1.2. Aims of Study
In this research, results are expected to help Vietnamese learners to have:
- The deeper insight of English conditionals;
- Some methods to avoid possible deplorable mistakes in translating the
conditional sentences.

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1.3. Scope of the Study
Due to the limited amount of time, reference source and capability, I
would like to focus only on “If” conditional sentences in the novel “Jane Eyre”
by Charlotte Bronte and their Vietnamese equivalents.
1.4. Research Methods
The methods are used the most in this Study are consulting, collecting,
classifying and synthetizing materials.

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DEVELOPMENT
2.1. Literature Review
Concepts that are mentioned in the theoretical background of interpreting
include an overview of mood, tense and English conditional sentences.
2.1.1. Mood
2.1.1.1. Concept of Mood
According to E.M.Gordon and I.P.Krylova: “Mood is the form of the which
shows the relation between the action expressed by the predicate verb and
reality”.
V. Vinogradov also expressed the same idea in another way: “Mood

expresses the relation of the action to reality as stated by the speaker”.
2.1.1.2. Types of Mood
a) Indicative Mood
According to llyish (1971), the use of the Indicative Mood shows that the
speakers (or writers) present the action or real. We can use indicative mood to
give information (she likes going for walks every evening), to express opinions (I
like the drinks of that coffee shop) to make promises (I will always be by your
side).
b) Imperative Mood
The Imperative Mood is a verb form that gives a command including
orders, requests, advice, instructions, and warnings.
We have the following different kinds of the imperative mood.:
- In the second person without personal pronouns: Go to your room!
- With reflexive pronouns: Give yourself a break.

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- With a direct object: Hit the ball.
- Referring to third-person objects of the main verb: Let them eat cake.
- As an affirmative imperative (also called positive imperative form): Go
for it!
- As a negative imperative (also called a negative command): Do not
touch the cookies!
- Expressing wishes: Let's go Tigers!
- In future tense: You will behave yourself, young lady.
The imperative mood takes the second person form of a verb (both secondperson singular and second-person plural) and appears in the present tense.
c) Subjunctive Mood
In contrast to the Indicative Mood, the Subjunctive usually refers to
nonfactual or hypothetical situations. There are two types of subjective - the

present Subjunctive and the past Subjunctive.
- The present Subjunctive:
Examples:
It is vital that they be stopped at once.
In the sentence above, the dependent clause (that…) expresses a desire;
therefore, the mood should be Subjunctive. Therefore, the verb should be be
stopped rather than are stopped.
- The past Subjunctive:
Examples: If your father were alive he would help you.

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Summary
Chart 2.1: Classification of Mood
Indicative Mood

MOOD

Imperative Mood
The present
Subjunctive

Subjunctive Mood

The past
Subjunctive

2.1.2. Tense
a) Concept of tense

According to Hockett (1967:235) states that tense is a grammatical
category that is used to show different locations of an event in time.
Lyons (1968:149) adds that tense has to do with time relations as
expressed by systematic grammatical contrasts.
Crystal (1985: 352) postulates that tense is a category used in the
grammatical description of verb referring primarily to the way the grammar
marks the time at which the action denoted by the verb took place.
Finally, Comrie (1986: 26) gives a wider scope to the definition of tense,
regarding it as the grammaticalization of location in time. Considering the
comprehensive quality of Comrie's definition, the researcher believes that it is
the most appropriate among all the other definitions.
b) Types of tense

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- Present tenses
Comrie (1988:37) states that the present moment is a location fixed in the
time line. Thus, the present tense is the location of the situation at that point. Yet,
this seems somehow a controversial argument since situations that coincide with
the present moment are rare. However, such rare situations do occur. Comrie
gives an example with a performative verb: I promise to pay you ten pounds.
Comrie (Ibid.: 38) adds that one of the most interesting characteristics of
the present tense is that it can be used to refer to situations that occupy a much
longer period of time than the present moment, including the present moment.
Example: The Earth goes around the Sun.
- Past tenses
The past tense is used when the happening state, action or event is related
to a definite time in the past, a point that may be called ' then '.The past tense is
the marked member of the opposition past/ present, as Fowler (1974:42) suggests

that tense in English has only two values from a formal point of view, i.e., [ ±
past ] avoiding the use of ' present ' in tense opposition. A sentence is either
marked ( + past ) or unmarked ( - past ).
- Futurity
Stone (1976:36) states that simple futurity denotes an action with
reference to future time or future intention. It is distinguished by means of two
main markers, viz. shall and will whose function is either to give the meaning of
pure futurity or to express determination or promise. The problem arises,
according to Hornby (1977:45) in indicating future activities aside from other
notions like likelihood , willingness, and so on.

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Daoud (1988:1) who considers tense as a semantic category whose main
function is to express the concept of time in its three dimensions, i.e., past,
present and future. Taking this definition into consideration, Daoud (Ibid.) argues
that “future tense” should be treated as an integral part of the English tensesystem though most linguists reject the use of “future tense” since the
inflectional morphology of the English verb does not include any affix that could
be regarded as an explicit marker of future tense.
2.1.3. The English Conditional sentences
2.1.3.1. Definition of conditional sentences
Randolph Quirk in “university grammar of English” (1972) suggested an
idea: “Conditional clauses state the dependence of one circumstance or set of
circumstances on another”.
Collin Cobuilt (1990) in “English grammar” also pointed out: “Sentences
containing conditional clauses are sometimes called conditional sentences” and
as for him conditional clauses begin with “if” or with conjunctions having
similar meaning like “unless”.
2.1.3.2. Different classifications of conditional clauses

In short, types of Conditional Sentences can be summed up as in the tables
below:
TYPE

IF CLAUSE

MAIN CLAUSE

Types of English Conditional Sentences and their basic syntactic features:

0 conditional - Real, possible
(Now/always)

Simple Present

Simple Present

Am, is, are//Verb
Simple Present

Am, is, are//Verb
Present Continuous

Am, is, are//Verb
Simple Past

Verb-ing
Simple Past

Was, were//V2/ed

Was, were//V2/ed

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1st conditional –

Simple Present

Simple Future

Ability in present, future
Example
2nd conditional –

Am, is, are//Verb
Will be/ verb bare
If you don’t want to go, we’ll stay home.
Simple Past

Unreal in present,future
Example
rd
3 conditional –

Was, were//V2/ed
Would + be/V bare
If I won a lottery, I would buy a big house.
Past Perfect

Unreal in past
Had+ V3/ed
Had+ V3/ed
Example
If you had tole me about the meeting, I would not have missed it.
Types of Mixed English Conditional Sentences
2-3
Was, were//V2/ed
wouldn't + past participle
contrasting an imagined or real
event in the past with the
present result of that
Example
3-2

If I were the God, human being would not have been created.
past perfect

describing ongoing

If had + V3/ed

would + infinitive

circumstances in relation to a
previous past event
Example

If we had not met each other, there would be no sorrow.

2.2. Findings and Discussions
2.2.1. The basic types of conditional sentences employed in the novel
"Jane Eyre" and their Vietnamese equivalents.
2.2.1.1. The zero conditional sentences
They division includes statements, facts, habits, rules, general truths.
a) Factual conditional
A conditional sentence expressing an implication:
“If I go to India, I go to premature death”.[p.358] (Nếu ta đi Ấn Độ, thì là
ta đi đến một cái chết non yếu) ->Jane doesn’t love St John, in such case, she is
not happy to be with him.

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b) Statements
This kind of zero conditional is used to express an imperative tune or an
action which happens naturally.
“If such is your spirit, I promise to aid you, in my own time and
way”[p.308] (Nếu cơ định như vậy thì tơi hứa sẽ giúp cô, vào lúc nào và giúp
cách nào sẽ tùy ở tôi) -> St Paul is promised an aid though he doesn’t know
much about Jane.
c) Declarative zero conditional
“That if you reject it, it is not me you deny, but God”[p.362] (Nếu cơ từ
chối đề nghị ấy thì khơng phải là cô cự tuyệt tôi, mà là cự tuyệt Chúa)
-> This is declared her responsibility for the treatment she serves, in order not to
put the blame on somebody else.)
- Vietnamese equivalents
The translation of zero conditional sentences in these examples is quite
usual in English-Vietnamese. In most cases, the semantic translation is used with

“if” that is often translated as “nếu”, “có lẽ”, “dù”, “mỗi khi” respectively.
2.2.1.2. The first conditional sentences
“You’ll catch the fever if you stop out when the drew is falling” [p. 68]
(Em sẽ bị cảm nếu cịn đứng mãi ngồi trời sương thế này.) → “no” comma is
used in this sentence.
- Main clause or ” if clause” might be negative.
“If you won't talk, you may be still”.[p.334] (Nếu ông không muốn nói
chuyện thì cứ việc ngồi n.) -> This case is one of the exception, as long as the
future item “will or shall” can not occur in the “if clause”, according to the
grammatical provisions it is a grave mistake, but literature is a different world
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that guides after another principals, so here the author want to emphasize the
idea of not talking and the condition that follows in case of it – being still.)
- Type of conditional sentences
Conditional sentence may occur as an interrogative one.
“But where shall I go if you drive me away?.”[p. 296]( Nhưng bà đuổi tơi
thì tơi biết đi đâu.) -> It is well known that something is going to happen in the
nearest future if she is driven away ,but the details of this fact are unknown).
“Will it annoy you if she is left behind?”. [p.234] (Nếu để nó ở lại thì em
khơng thích ư?) -> In this case the character denotes the feeling incase he leaves
the girl behind.)
- Exceptions
In the first conditional (where the condition clause expresses a possible
future condition), after “ if” there can not follow a future pattern as “will or
shall”, even though the novel “Jane Eyre “ reveals a wide variety of conditional
sentences that score after “if “ the future auxiliary will, shall. This fact is due to
the author’s tendency to emphasize some statement and acts, to make it more
expressive and original. This phenomenon is widely used by many other authors

of novels, essays and poems. As example can serve the following sentence:
“If you won't let me live with you, I can build a house of my own close up
to your door.” [p.385] (Nếu ông không muốn cho em sống chung, thì em có thể
xây riêng một tịa nhà sát ngay cửa nhà ông.) -> The author underlines Jane’s
determination, the fact of building a new house is also stressed inserting the
modal “can” to express an very probable action, so this kind of sentence can be
accepted as exception or stylistic solution as the verb “will” unusually occurs in
the “condition clause”.)
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Among other variations, the structure (if + present + present) is also possible. It
is used when the results are habitual or automatic. In these sentences, the time is
the present or future and the situation is real. They refer to a possible
condition and its probable result. They are based on facts, and they are used to
make statements about the real world, and about particular situations. The author
uses such sentences to express warnings:
Example: “Tell her she shall be put in the stocks if she does not take herself
off.”[p.168] (Bảo cho mụ ấy biết rằng nếu khơng xéo đi thì người ta bỏ tù mụ
đấy.)
Vietnamese equivalents The semantic translation is also quite popular. In this
case, conditional clauses can be translated as “nếu, nếu có thể, liệu” and “as long
as” means “miễn là”, and main clauses are translated as “sẽ”, “thì” and so on.
2.2.1.3. The second conditional sentences
“Which I feared would wither if I left them till the morning.” [p. 67]
( Vì sợ để đến sáng hơm sau nó sẽ héo đi mất.) → She probably won’t leave
them
→This one expresses the things in the future that are probably not going to be
true.
“If I had anywhere to go, I should be glad to leave it, but I can never get

away from Gateshead till I am a woman”. [p.18]
(Nếu cháu có một chỗ nào khác thì cháu rất vui được từ bỏ nơi đây, nhưng cháu
không bao giờ ra khỏi Gatohet nếu chưa khôn lớn.)
→ The kind of the second conditional denotes something in the present which is
impossible, because it’s not true. This is also an example that express a contrast

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or antagonist acts- first Jane was sure that she was glad to leave; second the
author underlines that Jane can never get away until she is a woman.
“If she could only get out of the way for a month or two, till all was over”.
[p.207] (Thật tuyệt, nếu mình có thể đi khỏi chốn này độ một hoặc hai tháng, cho
đến khi mọi chuyện xong xuôi) -> In this case the “if clause” which actually
express an impossible action referring to the future, the adverb “ a month or two”
being a mark of future tense, comes first though the “result clause” and requires
a comma.
- Vietnamese equivalents
Like the first type conditional sentences, the semantic translation is also
quite popular. In this case, conditional clauses can be translated as “nếu, nếu
như, giả sử, ví thử, giá thử, giá”, and main clauses are translated as “sẽ”, “thì”,
“liệu”.
2.2.1.4. The third conditional sentences
“And Eliza would have sold the hair off her head if she could have made a
handsome profit thereby”. [p.23] (Có lẽ Eliza có thể bán cả tóc trên đầu đi nếu
thấy có lợi.) -> In these sentence there is no comma as the main clause is placed
firstly but there is a conjunction which relates this clause with the previous one
and shows the difference between two facts.
“If she had held it open a little longer, I believe I should have begged a
piece of bread; for I was now brought low.” [p.289] (Giá bà ta để ngỏ cửa lâu

hơn chút nữa, chắc rằng tôi đã hỏi xin một mẩu bánh, vì bây giờ nhân cách của
tơi đã xuống lắm rồi) -> She was so hungry and tired and no time to search for it,
so she regretted about this fact.

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“If she had been in great pain one would have excused it, but she only
wanted to bring us all here” [p.12] (Nếu nó đau yếu mà kêu thì đi một nhẽ, đằng
này nó chỉ cốt làm thế để bắt chúng mình phải lại đây) -> This sentence suggests
a criticism of Jane, who was shouting because the housekeeper thinks she was
pretending.
- Vietnamese equivalents
In English, the third type conditional sentences can be used with
“must/should/might… + have + past participle” and in Vietnamese, they can be
translated as “chắc hẳn là, có lẽ, có lẽ nếu, giá, giả sử…”
2.2.1.5. The mixed conditional sentences
- Past + present mixed conditional
“If ever I did a good deed in my life - if ever I thought a good thought - if
ever I prayed a sincere and blameless prayer - if ever I wished a righteous, I am
rewarded now” [p.394] (Nếu trong đời em, có khi nào đã làm được một việc gì
tốt, có khi nào em đã có một ý nghĩ tốt, có khi nào em đã cầu nguyện một cách
thành khẩn, mà khơng có gì đáng trách, có khi nào em đã biết ước mơ đúng đắn,
thì bây giờ đây em đã được thưởng công.) → This sentence denotes a not regret
of Jane related to what she did in the past, which gives her a reward of living
with Mr Rochester in present moment “now”.
- Present + past mixed conditional
“if there had Perhaps it would have been better” [p.379] → Khơng,
nhưng thà chết có lẽ lại hơn → This sentence express a hypothetical situation
related to the past it would be better – if Mr Rochestor died, but it is also a

counterfactual action as in fact he did not die in that fire.

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- Vietnamese equivalents
The mixed conditional sentences are often translated semantically and in
Vietnamese, they can be translated as “nếu…thì bây giờ”, “giá thử….thì”
2.2.2. The pragmatic functions of conditional sentences in the novel
and its Vietnamese equivalent
According to speech acts, conditional sentences belong to illocutionary
acts. Illocutionary acts include such as stating, requesting, questioning,
promising, apologizing, appointing,ect.
So, here we translated conditional sentences not basing on their literal
meanings, but basing on the writer’s intention. The tendency of translation is
sometimes semantic and sometimes communicative.
As Threatening
Conditional sentences are often used to imply threat when we wish to raise
the politeness of utterance and reduce the level of threatening.
Examples:
“Tell her she shall be put in the stocks if she does not take herself off” (p.
168) (Bảo cho mụ ấy biết rằng nếu khơng xéo đi thì người ta bỏ tù mụ đấy.)
“Richard, it will be at peril of your life if you speak to her…” (p.184)
(Richard, nếu anh nói một câu tức là nguy hiểm đến tính mạng anh đấy.) All the
above conditional sentences are translated as threat and we can infer that from
fragmatic function of the sentences. The way of translation is communicative. In
Vietnamese the words “thề, thề rằng” or “đe dọa, dọa rằng...” are used to make
the meaning of the sentences clearer.
As Advising

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“If I were mademoiselle, I would never consent to go with you.” (p.235)
(Nếu cháu mà là cô, cháu sẽ chẳng bao giờ bằng lịng đi với ơng)
“And if I were in your place I should dislike her; I should resist her.”(p.46)
(Nhưng nếu tơi mà ở địa vị chị thì tơi rất căm ghét cô ấy, tôi sẽ chống cự lại.)
In English, with this pragmatic function, imperative form or “should” is
often used in the main clause, the conditional clause contains “If I were you,...”
or auxiliary “should”. Similarly, in Vietnamese, we can use “khuyên, nên, hãy,
…”. The tendency for communicative translation is applied.
As Warning
To make a conditional sentence a warning, situational information is
expected to presuppose that it is not clear that the hearer knows the event will
occur, the speaker does not think the event will occur and the event will not have
a beneficial effect.
Examples:
“For if you stay longer, you will perhaps irritate me afresh by some
mistrustful scruple.”(p.343) (Vì nếu anh ở lại lâu nữa, có thể anh sẽ làm tơi bực
mình vì một sự nghi ngại nào đó.)
In English, to express warning, people often use “if you take my advice, ...;
If my experience is anything to go by, you should (not)....,. Similarly, in
Vietnamese, we can use “ tôi cảnh báo anh, theo kinh nghiệm của tơi, tơi báo
trước, tơi nói trước,...” The tendency for communicative translation is applied.
As Criticizing
When using conditional sentences to criticize other people, the speaker
also includes his complaint.
Example:
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“If she had held it open a little longer, I believe I should have begged a
piece of bread; for I was now brought low.” (p.289) (Giá bà ta để ngỏ cửa lâu
hơn chút nữa, chắc rằng tôi đã hỏi xin một mẩu bánh, vì bây giờ nhân cách của
tơi đã xuống lắm rồi.) When criticizing other people, conditional clauses in this
function are counterfactual and in Vietnamese, we can use “giá mà, nếu ... thì đã
khơng, nếu thực sự ... thì...” In most examples investigated above, the tendency
for semantic translation is applied.
As Requesting
To make a polite more polite, conditional sentences should be used and the
main clause is often seen in the form of question in simple present or with a
modal verbs and we often use “If I want…/ I want to…/ If you can…/ can I do…
what can I do…”
Example:
“If you can, repeat them sincerely.” (p.343)
(Hãy nhắc lại, nếu anh có thể, hãy nhắc lại thành thực đi.)
“If you can get ready, Miss, I should like to take you back with me early
tomorrow morning.” (p.195) (Nếu cơ có thể sẵn sàng thì tơi muốn sáng sớm mai tơi
đưa cơ về cả thể.)
The conditional sentences in these samples are translated with the help of
“yêu cầu, nếu muốn, nếu có thể, nhé, đấy nhé, hãy, chứ” to raise the politeness of
request. In most examples investigated above, the tendency for semantic
translation is applied.
As Suggesting

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Similar to requesting, conditional sentences should be used to make
suggestions and the main clause is often seen in the form of a question in simple

present or with a modal verb and we often use “If you like, …”.
Examples: “…you, I am persuaded, can suit me if you will.” (p.116) (Cịn
cơ, tơi tin rằng cơ có thể thích hợp với tơi, nếu như cô muốn.)
“I will be your curate , if you like, but never your wife.” (p.366)
(Tôi sẽ làm trợ lý của anh, nếu anh muốn, nhưng không bao giờ là vợ
anh.)
The conditional sentences in these samples are translated with the help of
“nhé, có được khơng, đấy nhé, hãy, tại sao không” to raise the politeness of
suggestion.
As Regretting
Conditional sentences can be used to express a regret. And to express a
regret, we often use the third type conditional sentences.
Example:
“He would do very well if he had fewer cakes and sweetmeats sent him
from home.” ( p.5) (Giá ở nhà gửi bánh kẹo cho nó bơn bớt đi một chút, thì nó sẽ
rất khỏe mạnh đấy)
In fact, the regretting feeling of the speaker is expressed through the
semantic implication of modal perfect “ would have + past participle”
Example:
“I should, if I had deliberated, have replied to this question by something
conventionally vague and polite” (p.114)

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(Nếu tơi có thời gian suy nghĩ, có lẽ tơi đã trả lời bằng một câu nói ước lệ
xã giao và lễ phép, nhưng đằng này bất thần nên tôi buột mồm không kịp suy
nghĩ.)
Moreover, we can use “if only” to express a regret. In Vietnamese it means
“giá mà, tiếc rằng, tiếc là”.

In short, all the conditional sentences in the novel were analyzed basing on
the writer’s intension, not basing on their literal meaning. Therefore, the
tendency of translation is sometimes semantic and sometimes communicative.
Pragmatic functions of conditional sentences can be sum up as in the tables below:
Pragmatic functions
Threatening

Conditional sentences and its Vietnamese equivalents
 If you…., you will…

Advising

 Thề/thề rằng/đe dọa/dọa rằng
 If I were….I would/should…

Warning

 Khuyên/nên/hãy,…
 If you…, you do not…
 If you take my advice, you should…

Criticizing

 Tôi cảnh báo anh/ tơi báo trước/ tơi nói trước,…
 If I had (not) + P2, I would have + P2
 If I had (not) + P2, I would + V

Requesting

 Giá mà, nếu ... thì đã khơng / Nếu thực sự ... thì...

 If I want…/I want to…
 If you can…/ What can I do…?

Suggesting

 Nếu muốn…/ nhé…/ đấy nhé…/hãy…
 If you like…

Regretting

 Nhé…/ đấy nhé…/ hãy…
 If/If only + S had (not) + P2, S + would have +P2

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 Giá mà
 If I may say so…/ If you do not mind…/

2.2.3. Implications for translating conditional sentences in the novel
2.2.3.1. Some mistakes that learners often have in using English
conditional sentences in the novel
Frequently, when coming across a conditional sentence, learners pay much
attention to the syntactic features , for instance, how tenses are used in the clauses.
Besides, some link words such as “if” and “unless” are paid much attention to while
other link words explicitly expressing condition are ignored. Learners often
translate word by word without noticing pragmatic functions and without putting it
in real contexts. Therefore, a big hole in learners’ translating knowledge can be
found.
The followings are examples related to mistakes that learners often have.

+ Difficulties in translating different types of English conditional
sentences into Vietnamese.
+ Difficulties in understanding pragmatic functions of English conditional
sentences.
2.2.3..2. The ways to help learners overcome difficulties in translating
English conditional sentences in the novel
a) Contribute sufficient knowledge of types of English conditional
sentences and their Vietnamese equivalents for learners
Almost learners completely master the syntactic features of English
conditional sentences. They can recognize and use tenses in conditional
sentences accurately. Learners should be supplied with adequate knowledge of

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each type and Vietnamese words with specific meanings to help create good
translation.
- With zero conditional sentences
Learners need to add “ khi, nếu, sự thật hiển nhiên là, ...” to translate
things which are always true, such as scientific facts and general truths as
follows: “I can live alone if self-respect and circumstances require me to do so.”
(p. 176) (Ta có thể sống cơ đơn, nếu lịng tự trọng và hồn cảnh địi hỏi như vậy.)
- With the first type conditional sentences
Learners should know which link words should be used to express the
things happening in the present or in the future. “if” can be translated as “ Nếu,
ngộ nhỡ, nếu nhỡ mà, nếu may ra ” and “unless” means “ trừ khi”, “ as long as”
“hễ là, miễn là”,...
Example:
“If you dread them they'll dislike you.” (p. 32) (Nếu cô sợ họ, họ sẽ ghét
cô) In translating the first type conditional sentences, learners need to pay much

attention to condition and result to choose suitable Vietnamese link words.
- With the second type conditional sentences
“If” can be translated “Nếu, giả sử”, “ if only ” “giá mà, giá như”, “ giả sử” “
giả sử .... thì ”....In translation, these words are used to express unreal things in the
present or in the future. Therefore, learners should pay much attention to these
words.
Example:
“He would do very well if he had fewer cakes and sweetmeats sent him
from home.” (p. 5) (Giá ở nhà gửi bánh kẹo cho nó bơn bớt đi một chút, thì nó sẽ
rất khỏe mạnh đấy)
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- With the third and mixed type conditional sentences
In order to emphasize unreal things in the past , “chắc hẳn là, lẽ ra nên, có
lẽ là...” are added in Vietnamese English translation to denote the coherence and
flexibility.
Examples:
“And Eliza would have sold the hair off her head if she could have made a
handsome profit thereby.” (p. 23) (Có lẽ Eliza có thể bán cả tóc trên đầu đi nếu thấy
có lợi.)
“If the man who had but one little ewe lamb that was dear to him as a
daughter, that ate of his bread and drank of his cup, and lay in his bosom, had
by some mistake slaughtered it at the shambles, he would not have rued his
bloody blunder more than I now rue mine.”(p. 263) (Giả thử một người có một
con cừu non, coi thân thiết như con gái mình, cho nó ăn miếng bánh của mình,
cho nó uống vào cốc của mình, cho nó nằm trong lịng mình, mà rồi vì một sự
lầm lẫn nào đó, lại đập chết nó trong lị sát sinh, thì người ấy cũng khơng thể nào
hối tiếc sự lỗi lầm đẫm máu của mình như tơi được.)
In summary, in the above examples, depending on types of conditional

sentences, learners should choose suitable link words to add to their sentences in
order to produce good translation. Usually, “ nếu... thì, giá mà, miễn là, trừ
phi....” are used to translate.
b) Supplying learners with adequate knowledge of pragmatic
functions
Learners should be supplied with adequate knowledge of pragmatic
functions. At different levels, the teachers should pay attention to supplying suitable

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knowledge. Pragmatic function of conditional clauses should be introduced
appropriately through models.
Examples:
“What we tell you is for your good.’ added Bessie, in no harsh voice, “you
should try to be useful ad pleasant, then, perhaps, you would have a home here;
but if you become passionate and rude, Missis will send you away, I am sure” (p.
8)
→ In this example, the word “sure” are used to express threat.
“ ‘I will think what you like, sir: I am content to be only your nurse, if you
think it better.’ ‘But you cannot always be my nurse, Janet: you are young-you
must marry one day.’ ‘I don’t care about being married.’ ‘You should care,
Janet: if I were what I once was, I would try to make you care’ ” (p. 386)
→ In this example , the words “if I were” are used to express regretting.
Therefore, learners should be supplied with adequate knowledge of pragmatic
functions. At different levels, the teachers should pay attention to supplying
suitable knowledge. The most useful way is teaching through necessary contexts
in which a conditional is used. It helps learners understand what the conditionals
refer to so that they can understand if they are dealing with a threaten, a regret, a
wish, or a suggestion. Furthermore, they should also pay much attention to

linking words. Choosing the right link words will help learners convey their
thoughts successfully.

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CONCLUSION
In summary, this study has the following strong aims:
- Examining conditional sentences in English and Vietnamese through the
novel “Jane Eyre”.
- Helping Vietnamese students master this effective structure to have a
better insight into conditional sentences and ways to face the difficulties in using
it.
Therefore, this thesis has discussed these consequent main issues and
findings:
- There are different classifications of conditional sentences. One distinction
is between those that are considered basic in English - 0, 1st, 2nd,3rd types, and
those that denote an unusual mix of tenses-mixed conditionals. Another
distinction between conditionals that are considered factual or predictive, and
those that are considered counterfactual or speculative (referring to a situation
that did not or does not really exist), there are conditional sentences which
require a specific paradigm of formation and other ones that involve a variety of
modals. Basing on pragmatic functions, conditional sentences were also used to
express threatening, advising, warning, criticizing, requesting, suggesting and
regretting.
- There are many conditional sentences appeared in the novel “Jane Eyre”
and the most frequent type from the basic approach of conditional clauses is the
second one. The author’s predilection for it, could serve the fact that this novel in
its state refers to a double faced essence - the reality and fiction. Moreover, on
the pragmatic functions of conditionals, it has been noted in the study that

context fills the gap between linguistic meaning and what has been said in an
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