Subjunctive Mood Selection in French: An Event-Based Analysis of Psych-Verbs and Bouletic Predicates

Abstract

This study investigates subjunctive and indicative mood selection in French complement clauses
governed by psych-verbs and bouletic predicates. We depart from prescriptive norms to propose a cognitive-semantic model based on Force Dynamics (Talmy 2000; Wolff et al. 2010) and Causal Chain Theory (Copley, Martin 2014). We argue that mood selection functions as a marker of the causal path connecting the subject to the event. Specifically, the indicative signals a direct, unobstructed realization. The subjunctive, conversely, marks a causal trajectory blocked or mediated by the subject’s evaluative stance. Qualitative analysis of data from an online corpus supports this hypothesis. The results reveal a gradient of causal force where mood shifts reflect the degree of immediate access to the proposition. This framework integrates the internal cognitive simulation of force with the external conditions of event realization.