Konsekuttiv

Konsekuttiv is a term used in linguistics to describe a type of subordinate clause that expresses the consequence or sequential relationship of the action described in the main clause. The primary function is to signal the outcome, result, or a following action that stems from the main clause.

In practice, konsektuttiv, or konsekuttiv constructions, are realized differently across languages. Some languages use a distinct mood, such as a subjunctive or optative, to mark the consecutive relation. Others rely on specific verb forms, particles, or conjunctions that indicate that the second clause follows from or results from the first. In some linguistic traditions, there may be a dedicated morphological form attached to the verb to encode the consecutive meaning, sometimes described as a consecutive or result clause.

Semantically, konsekuttiv clauses can encode either a causal result (the first action causes the second) or a temporal sequence (the second action follows the first). They are typically distinguished from other subordinate clauses such as causal, conditional, or temporal clauses by the way they foreground the consequence or sequence rather than merely the time or condition of the events.

Origin and usage vary by language family and scholarly tradition; the term itself is most commonly found in Scandinavian linguistic literature, where it is used to categorize a particular means of expressing sequential consequence. Further cross-linguistic study reveals similar constructions under different names in many language contexts.

See also: consecutive clause, sequence of tenses, mood (grammar).