imperative
Let an agent explain the imperative mood, relay forms across languages from linguistics and grammar sources, describe the categories the registry aliases name, and distinguish the imperative from the subjunctive, jussive, hortative and polite request forms, and from the programming sense of imperative.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain the imperative mood, relay forms across languages from linguistics and grammar sources, describe the categories the registry aliases name, and distinguish the imperative from the subjunctive, jussive, hortative and polite request forms, and from the programming sense of imperative.
A grammatical mood used to form commands, requests, instructions and prohibitions, as in English go or do not go, expressed in many languages by special verb forms or stems, with categories such as the imperative stem, present imperative, past or perfect imperative in some languages, negative imperatives, which in some languages use different forms such as the Spanish subjunctive, and affirmative imperatives, including the imperative in French with its tu, nous and vous forms.
What it is for: Expressing commands and requests.
It can be explain the mood; relay forms across languages; describe named categories; distinguish related moods.
Distinguishing features
Second person focus
Often no subject
Negation varies by language
Politeness strategies
What it looks like
Not a visible object; verb forms in speech and writing.
Physical character
English form: bare verb, as in go note
French forms: tu, nous and vous note - finis, finissons, finissez
Spanish negative imperative: uses subjunctive forms note - no hables
How it is recognised
Grammatical mood for commands
Imperative stem, imperative in French, present imperative, past imperative, negative imperative, affirmative imperative
Subjunctive expresses non-factual states; jussive and hortative address third or first persons; imperative programming is a computing paradigm
Related models
is a kind of - in registry terms
is contrasted with -
includes - in some analyses
is contrasted with - computing sense
In practice
Families and kinds
affirmative imperatives
negative imperatives or prohibitives
present and perfect imperatives
first-person plural hortatives
polite imperatives
Standards and regulation
No regulation; described in reference grammars
Failure modes and hazards
Assuming English patterns apply to all languages
Confusing grammatical and programming senses
Ignoring politeness norms
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What the imperative is.
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
- What is the imperative mood, and how does it differ from subjunctive, jussive, hortative and programming senses? definition
- Is the question about a specific language, learning grammar or linguistics? boundary
Categories
Named categories.
Categories
Categories.
- What are imperative stems, present and past imperatives, negative and affirmative imperatives and the French imperative? definition
- Which entry fits the specific category? action
Linguistics Across languages.
Sources.
Typology
Typology.
Typology
Typology.
- How do languages mark imperatives, as typological surveys such as WALS describe? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Negation
Prohibitives.
Negation
Negation.
- How do languages form negative imperatives differently? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Usage Usage.
Application.
Politeness
Politeness.
Politeness
Politeness.
- How do speakers soften imperatives for politeness? provenance
- Which entry fits politeness theory? action
Learning
Learning.
Learning
Learning.
- How are French and Spanish imperatives formed for learners? provenance
- Which entry fits French verbs? action
Context Other senses.
Context.
Programming
Programming.
Programming
Programming.
- What is imperative programming? provenance
- Which entry fits imperative programming? action
Philosophy
Categorical imperative.
Philosophy
Philosophy.
- How does Kant s categorical imperative relate to the grammatical term? provenance
- Which entry fits categorical imperative? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should the negative imperative be a separate entry?
- How should reference grammars be linked?
- Should language-specific imperatives be split off?