Connotations of Surprise in the Conditionals To and Tara in Japanese

A Review and Synthesis

Abstract

The two conditionals to and -tara in Japanese do not carry neutral connotations. This paper offers evidence to support the claim that tara can carry, among other things, a connotation of surprise in reference to specific past events. However, evidence is also offered to show that the conditional to, contrary to what is stated in most reference grammars, carries connotations of inevitability even when the sentence refers to a specific sequence of past events.