FOCALIZATIONS OF BECAUSE AND SINCE

SINCE-CLAUSES CAN BE FOCALIZED BY CERTAIN FOCUSING ADVERBS, ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE IS NO REASON TO BAN IT

Abstract

Despite the widely accepted view that because-clauses can be focalized by focusing adverbs whereas since-clauses cannot, there are many cases in which certain focusing adverbs focalize since-clauses, as exemplified by a sentence like Wearing a different one every time she went out would be only natural, particularly since a sari does not have to be washed as frequently as a dress. The present article explains when because- and since-clauses can or cannot be focalized by focusing adverbs in terms of the following two factors: (i) the types of constructions these conjunctions participate in and (ii) the types of focusing adverbs used.