Jose Carillo's English Forum
Joe Carillo's Desk => You Asked Me This Question => Topic started by: Mwita Chacha on August 28, 2012, 03:14:58 PM
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Please help me on how to correctly use subordinating conjunctions 'if' and 'whether' in saying or writing indirect questions. I believe, for instance, there's a substantial meaning dissimilarity between ''She asked me if I could accompany her to her brother's birthday party'' and ''She asked me whether I could accompany her to her brother's birthday party,'' isn't there?
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The conjunction “if” has the same sense as “whether” when used in an indirect question that doesn’t provide a stated or implied alternative, as in your sentence “She asked me if I could accompany her to her brother’s birthday party.” When the indirect question provides a stated of implied alternative, however, the conjunction “whether” can be used but usually with the correlative “or,” as in this version of that sentence: “She asked me whether or not I could accompany her to her brother’s birthday party.” In polite or comradely society, though, it’s not advisable—indeed it might sound abrasive or be perceived as abrasive—to use “or not” in requests of that kind, so it’s idiomatic to drop “or not” altogether: “She asked me whether I could accompany her to her brother’s birthday party.” It’s in this sense that “if” becomes interchangeable with “whether.”
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I don't understand by the statement ''if'' is used in indirect questions that don't provide a stated or implied alternative. Is it not the alternative by itself the act of refusing to accompany the original speaker to the birthday party of her brother in my sentence? Because apparently there are two possible expected results, aren't they, in ''She asked me if I could accompany her to her brother's birthday party,'' one is the accepting of the request and the other (the alternative) is refusing.
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The function of indirect questions is precisely to avoid stating or even implying alternatives. It’s really a language rather than a grammar thing—a matter of social graces. When I tell you, “It’s windy so it will be nice if you close the window,” no alternative is stated or implied, but it’s semantically clear that you have the option of granting my request or not. This is entirely different from my saying “It’s windy so I wonder whether you will close the window or not” or “It’s windy so do you mind if you close the window?” This time, whether stated or implied, the alternatives stare us in the face.
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Your post is very helpful. Thanks to your for your post.