Conditional sentences in the Veps language

Depending on the modality of the dependent part of a polypredicative construction in the Veps language, proper and non-proper conditional constructions are distinguished. Proper conditional constructions are characterized by irreal modality of the dependent part and can be divided into irreal and potential-conditional constructions. The main method of expression of irreal-conditional relations are the conditional forms. The potential-conditional relations are expressed through complex sentences with conditional conjunctions, the majority of which are polyfunctional and express the conditional relations via correlation between modal-aspectual-temporal characteristics of predicate verbs in principal and dependent clauses, as well as context and lexical content of predicative units. In non-proper conditional sentences, means typical for proper conditional sentences are used, yet their parts are characterized by real modality and thus express different types of relations between events. Conditional relations in the Veps language are also expressed via inessive form of second infinitive, simple sentences with abstract nouns in abessive form, etc. The core of the functional-semantic field of conditionality in the Veps language is recognized as irreal-conditional sentences with conditional as a specialized form of expression of conditional relations.