Welcome to Lesson 44 of the Latinum Institute Elizabethan English course. This lesson examines the conditional conjunction if, one of the most dramatically potent words in the English language. In the hands of Elizabethan writers, “if” opens doorways to possibility, doubt, hope, and tragic irony—it is the hinge upon which fates turn.
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FAQ: What does “if” mean in Elizabethan English?
The conjunction “if” in Elizabethan English functions as it does in Modern English—introducing conditional clauses that express uncertainty, possibility, or hypothetical situations. However, Elizabethan writers exploited “if” with particular intensity, using it to create dramatic suspense, explore counterfactual realities, and reveal character psychology through their contemplation of alternative futures. Shakespeare alone uses “if” over 1,800 times across his works, frequently positioning it at moments of crucial decision.
Pronunciation Note: Elizabethan pronunciation retained features from the Great Vowel Shift’s completion. The suffix “-tion” was pronounced /tjʊn/ or /sjʊn/ rather than modern /ʃən/. The letter “r” was pronounced in all positions (rhotic). Long vowels in words like “time” and “prove” maintained qualities closer to /iː/ and /oː/ respectively, though the shift was largely complete by 1600.
Key Takeaways: -
“If” introduces conditional, hypothetical, and concessive clauses -
Elizabethan writers paired “if” with subjunctive mood forms now obsolete -
The word creates dramatic irony when characters contemplate futures audiences know will not occur -
Conditional constructions often reveal character through what possibilities they imagine -
Period pronunciation preserved older vowel qualities and rhotic “r”
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1.1a If music be the food of love, play on.
1.1b If /ɪf/ if music /ˈmjuː.zɪk/ music be /beː/ be.SUBJUNCTIVE the /ðə/ the food /fuːd/ food of /ɔf/ of love /lʊv/ love play /pleː/ play.IMPERATIVE on /ɔn/ on
2.1a If thou hast any sound, or use of voice, speak to me.
2.1b If /ɪf/ if thou /ðaʊ/ thou hast /hast/ have.2SG any /ˈɛ.ni/ any sound /saʊnd/ sound or /ɔr/ or use /juːz/ use of /ɔf/ of voice /vɔɪs/ voice speak /speːk/ speak.IMPERATIVE to /tʊ/ to me /meː/ me
3.1a If it be so, our prayers must help us now.
3.1b If /ɪf/ if it /ɪt/ it be /beː/ be.SUBJUNCTIVE so /soː/ so our /aʊr/ our prayers /ˈpreː.ərz/ prayers must /mʊst/ must help /hɛlp/ help us /ʊs/ us now /naʊ/ now
4.1a If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me.
4.1b If /ɪf/ if chance /tʃans/ chance will /wɪl/ will have /hav/ have me /meː/ me king /kɪŋ/ king why /ʍaɪ/ why chance /tʃans/ chance may /meː/ may crown /kraʊn/ crown me /meː/ me
5.1a If you prick us, do we not bleed?
5.1b If /ɪf/ if you /juː/ you prick /prɪk/ prick us /ʊs/ us do /duː/ do we /weː/ we not /nɔt/ not bleed /bleːd/ bleed
6.1a If I do prove her haggard, I’ll have cause to loose her.
6.1b If /ɪf/ if I /aɪ/ I do /duː/ do prove /proːv/ prove her /hɛr/ her haggard /ˈha.gərd/ haggard(wild.hawk) I’ll /aɪl/ I.will have /hav/ have cause /kɔːz/ cause to /tʊ/ to loose /luːs/ release her /hɛr/ her
7.1a If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well it were done quickly.
7.1b If /ɪf/ if it /ɪt/ it were /wɛːr/ be.PAST.SUBJUNCTIVE done /dʊn/ done when /ʍɛn/ when ‘tis /tɪz/ it.is done /dʊn/ done then /ðɛn/ then ‘twere /twɛːr/ it.were well /wɛl/ well it /ɪt/ it were /wɛːr/ be.PAST.SUBJUNCTIVE done /dʊn/ done quickly /ˈkwɪk.li/ quickly
8.1a If heaven would make me such another world of one entire pearl.
8.1b If /ɪf/ if heaven /ˈhɛ.vən/ heaven would /wʊd/ would make /meːk/ make me /meː/ me such /sʊtʃ/ such another /əˈnʊ.ðər/ another world /wɜrld/ world of /ɔf/ of one /wʊn/ one entire /ɛnˈtaɪr/ entire pearl /pɛrl/ pearl
9.1a If we shadows have offended, think but this, and all is mended.
9.1b If /ɪf/ if we /weː/ we shadows /ˈʃa.doːz/ shadows have /hav/ have offended /ɔˈfɛn.dɪd/ offended think /θɪŋk/ think but /bʊt/ but this /ðɪs/ this and /and/ and all /ɔːl/ all is /ɪz/ is mended /ˈmɛn.dɪd/ mended
10.1a If our father would sleep till I waked him, you should enjoy half his revenue.
10.1b If /ɪf/ if our /aʊr/ our father /ˈfaː.ðər/ father would /wʊd/ would sleep /sleːp/ sleep till /tɪl/ until I /aɪ/ I waked /weːkt/ waked him /hɪm/ him you /juː/ you should /ʃʊd/ should enjoy /ɛnˈdʒɔɪ/ enjoy half /haf/ half his /hɪz/ his revenue /ˈrɛ.vənjuː/ revenue
11.1a If there be any cunning cruelty that can torment him much, let it be found.
11.1b If /ɪf/ if there /ðɛːr/ there be /beː/ be.SUBJUNCTIVE any /ˈɛ.ni/ any cunning /ˈkʊ.nɪŋ/ cunning cruelty /ˈkruː.əl.ti/ cruelty that /ðat/ that can /kan/ can torment /tɔrˈmɛnt/ torment him /hɪm/ him much /mʊtʃ/ much let /lɛt/ let it /ɪt/ it be /beː/ be.SUBJUNCTIVE found /faʊnd/ found
12.1a If sack and sugar be a fault, God help the wicked!
12.1b If /ɪf/ if sack /sak/ sack(sherry) and /and/ and sugar /ˈʃʊ.gər/ sugar be /beː/ be.SUBJUNCTIVE a /ə/ a fault /fɔːlt/ fault God /gɔd/ God help /hɛlp/ help the /ðə/ the wicked /ˈwɪ.kɪd/ wicked
13.1a If the assassination could trammel up the consequence and catch success.
13.1b If /ɪf/ if the /ðə/ the assassination /əˌsa.sɪˈneː.sjʊn/ assassination could /kʊd/ could trammel /ˈtra.məl/ trammel(entangle) up /ʊp/ up the /ðə/ the consequence /ˈkɔn.sɪˌkwɛns/ consequence and /and/ and catch /katʃ/ catch success /sʊkˈsɛs/ success
14.1a If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, absent thee from felicity awhile.
14.1b If /ɪf/ if thou /ðaʊ/ thou didst /dɪdst/ did.2SG ever /ˈɛ.vər/ ever hold /hoːld/ hold me /meː/ me in /ɪn/ in thy /ðaɪ/ thy heart /hart/ heart absent /abˈsɛnt/ absent thee /ðeː/ thee from /frɔm/ from felicity /fɪˈlɪ.sɪ.ti/ felicity awhile /əˈʍaɪl/ awhile
15.1a If I be waspish, best beware my sting.
15.1b If /ɪf/ if I /aɪ/ I be /beː/ be.SUBJUNCTIVE waspish /ˈwɔs.pɪʃ/ waspish best /bɛst/ best beware /bɪˈwɛːr/ beware my /maɪ/ my sting /stɪŋ/ sting
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1.1 If music be the food of love, play on.
1.2 If thou hast any sound, or use of voice, speak to me.
1.3 If it be so, our prayers must help us now.
1.4 If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me.
1.5 If you prick us, do we not bleed?
1.6 If I do prove her haggard, I’ll have cause to loose her.
1.7 If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well it were done quickly.
1.8 If heaven would make me such another world of one entire pearl.
1.9 If we shadows have offended, think but this, and all is mended.
1.10 If our father would sleep till I waked him, you should enjoy half his revenue.
1.11 If there be any cunning cruelty that can torment him much, let it be found.
1.12 If sack and sugar be a fault, God help the wicked!
1.13 If the assassination could trammel up the consequence and catch success.
1.14 If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, absent thee from felicity awhile.
1.15 If I be waspish, best beware my sting.
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If music be the food of love, play on.
If thou hast any sound, or use of voice, speak to me.
If it be so, our prayers must help us now.
If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me.
If you prick us, do we not bleed?
If I do prove her haggard, I’ll have cause to loose her.
If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well it were done quickly.
If heaven would make me such another world of one entire pearl.
If we shadows have offended, think but this, and all is mended.
If our father would sleep till I waked him, you should enjoy half his revenue.
If there be any cunning cruelty that can torment him much, let it be found.
If sack and sugar be a fault, God help the wicked!
If the assassination could trammel up the consequence and catch success.
If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, absent thee from felicity awhile.
If I be waspish, best beware my sting.
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The Conditional Conjunction “If”
The word “if” (from Old English gif) introduces subordinate clauses expressing condition, supposition, or uncertainty. In Elizabethan English, “if” commonly triggers the subjunctive mood, a grammatical form now largely obsolete in Modern English.
Subjunctive Forms with “If”
Elizabethan conditional constructions frequently employed the subjunctive mood, distinguishing hypothetical situations from factual statements:
Present subjunctive (base form, no -s for third person): “If music be“ rather than “If music is” — the subjunctive “be” signals uncertainty or supposition. Compare “If there be any cunning cruelty” where modern speakers would say “if there is.”
Past subjunctive (identical to past indicative except for “be” → “were”): “If it were done” employs the past subjunctive to express contrary-to-fact or hypothetical conditions. This “were” appears regardless of subject: “If I were,” “If he were,” “If it were.”
Conditional Types in Elizabethan Usage
Open conditionals express real possibilities: “If you prick us, do we not bleed?” Here the condition presents a genuine possibility, and the main clause responds with present indicative.
Hypothetical conditionals contemplate unreal or uncertain situations: “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me.” Macbeth neither asserts nor denies the condition—he suspends judgment, letting “if” hold possibility in abeyance.
Counterfactual conditionals suppose contrary to known fact: “If heaven would make me such another world” imagines an impossibility for rhetorical effect.
The Dramatic “If”
Elizabethan dramatists exploited “if” to create dramatic irony—when characters contemplate possibilities that audiences know will or will not occur. Hamlet’s “If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart” gains poignancy because we witness Horatio’s devotion throughout. Macbeth’s “If it were done when ‘tis done” ironically assumes consequence can be avoided—audiences know it cannot.
“If” with Imperative Clauses
Conditional clauses frequently pair with imperative main clauses: “If I be waspish, best beware my sting.” Here Katherine issues both condition and warning in a single breath.
Pronunciation Note: “-tion” Suffix
Words ending in “-tion” were pronounced /tjʊn/ or /sjʊn/ in Elizabethan English, not modern /ʃən/. Thus “assassination” sounded as /əˌsa.sɪˈneː.sjʊn/, preserving the Latin derivation more transparently. This feature helps explain period rhymes and puns that fail in modern pronunciation.
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The Conditional Imagination
The Elizabethan age was preoccupied with contingency—the fragile dependence of events upon circumstance, fortune, and human will. The reign of Elizabeth I itself began conditionally: if Mary Tudor had produced an heir, if Elizabeth had died of smallpox in 1562, if the Armada had succeeded. This pervasive sense of contingency infused Elizabethan literature with conditional thinking.
“If” in Humanist Education
Grammar school education drilled students in classical rhetoric, including the systematic exploration of hypothetical situations. The rhetorical exercise of hypothesis taught students to argue cases that might never occur: “If Athens were destroyed, should citizens rebuild?” This training produced minds comfortable with conditional reasoning—and playwrights who could dramatize moral dilemmas through imagined alternatives.
Fortune and Contingency
Elizabethan thought inherited the medieval figure of Fortune’s Wheel, where human circumstances rise and fall by forces beyond individual control. “If” becomes the verbal acknowledgment of Fortune’s power: “If chance will have me king” recognizes that crowns depend not merely on merit but on the conjunction of person and opportunity.
The Stage of Possibilities
Theatre itself embodied conditional logic. The stage was a place where “if” became visible: if this boy actor be taken for Rosalind, if this bare platform be imagined as Denmark, if we audience members suspend disbelief. Puck’s epilogue—”If we shadows have offended”—explicitly acknowledges the theatrical “if” binding performers and spectators.
Legal and Theological “Ifs”
English common law proliferated conditional reasoning: contracts, wills, and statutes teemed with “if” clauses specifying conditions under which obligations arose or ceased. Theological discourse similarly explored divine and human “ifs”: if Adam had not sinned, if Christ had not risen, if the elect were predestined.
Literary Citation
“If it be so, for Cassius is aweary of the world, Hated by one he loves; braved by his brother; Checked like a bondman; all his faults observed, Set in a notebook, learned and conned by rote To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep My spirit from mine eyes! There is my dagger, And here my naked breast; within, a heart Dearer than Plutus’ mine, richer than gold: If that thou be’st a Roman, take it forth.” — William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar (IV.iii.93-101)
Cassius here employs “if” twice: first to hypothesize his own despair as condition for what follows, then to challenge Brutus’s Roman honor. The conditionals create emotional leverage—if Brutus accepts the premises, he must accept the conclusions.
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A Dialogue upon Conditional Matters, wherein a Young Gentleman and an Aged Counsellor debate the Uses of Supposition
16.1a Edmund: If I could but know my fortune, I should sleep more soundly, old friend.
16.1b Edmund Edmund If /ɪf/ if I /aɪ/ I could /kʊd/ could but /bʊt/ but know /noː/ know my /maɪ/ my fortune /ˈfɔr.tjuːn/ fortune I /aɪ/ I should /ʃʊd/ should sleep /sleːp/ sleep more /moːr/ more soundly /ˈsaʊnd.li/ soundly old /oːld/ old friend /frɛnd/ friend
17.1a Counsellor: If you knew your fortune, you should cease to make it. We become what we venture toward.
17.1b Counsellor Counsellor If /ɪf/ if you /juː/ you knew /njuː/ knew your /jʊr/ your fortune /ˈfɔr.tjuːn/ fortune you /juː/ you should /ʃʊd/ should cease /seːs/ cease to /tʊ/ to make /meːk/ make it /ɪt/ it We /weː/ we become /bɪˈkʊm/ become what /ʍat/ what we /weː/ we venture /ˈvɛn.tjuːr/ venture toward /toːrd/ toward
18.1a Edmund: If that be true, then even the questioning shapes my path?
18.1b Edmund Edmund If /ɪf/ if that /ðat/ that be /beː/ be.SUBJUNCTIVE true /truː/ true then /ðɛn/ then even /ˈiː.vən/ even the /ðə/ the questioning /ˈkwɛs.tjʊ.nɪŋ/ questioning shapes /ʃeːps/ shapes my /maɪ/ my path /paθ/ path
19.1a Counsellor: Ay, if a man ponder long upon defeat, he may conjure the very demons he fears.
19.1b Counsellor Counsellor Ay /aɪ/ ay if /ɪf/ if a /ə/ a man /man/ man ponder /ˈpɔn.dər/ ponder long /lɔŋ/ long upon /əˈpɔn/ upon defeat /dɪˈfeːt/ defeat he /heː/ he may /meː/ may conjure /ˈkʊn.dʒər/ conjure the /ðə/ the very /ˈvɛ.ri/ very demons /ˈdeː.mənz/ demons he /heː/ he fears /feːrz/ fears
20.1a Edmund: But if I fear not, am I then a fool who walketh blind toward the precipice?
20.1b Edmund Edmund But /bʊt/ but if /ɪf/ if I /aɪ/ I fear /feːr/ fear not /nɔt/ not am /am/ am I /aɪ/ I then /ðɛn/ then a /ə/ a fool /fuːl/ fool who /huː/ who walketh /ˈwɔː.kəθ/ walk.3SG blind /blaɪnd/ blind toward /toːrd/ toward the /ðə/ the precipice /ˈprɛ.sɪˌpɪs/ precipice
21.1a Counsellor: If prudence counsel thee to pause, then pause. But if fear alone doth hold thee fast, shake free.
21.1b Counsellor Counsellor If /ɪf/ if prudence /ˈpruː.dəns/ prudence counsel /ˈkaʊn.səl/ counsel thee /ðeː/ thee to /tʊ/ to pause /pɔːz/ pause then /ðɛn/ then pause /pɔːz/ pause But /bʊt/ but if /ɪf/ if fear /feːr/ fear alone /əˈloːn/ alone doth /dʊθ/ do.3SG hold /hoːld/ hold thee /ðeː/ thee fast /fast/ fast shake /ʃeːk/ shake free /freː/ free
22.1a Edmund: If I might ask, how may a man distinguish prudence from fear?
22.1b Edmund Edmund If /ɪf/ if I /aɪ/ I might /maɪt/ might ask /ask/ ask how /haʊ/ how may /meː/ may a /ə/ a man /man/ man distinguish /dɪˈstɪŋ.gwɪʃ/ distinguish prudence /ˈpruː.dəns/ prudence from /frɔm/ from fear /feːr/ fear
23.1a Counsellor: If thy heart beat quick and thy hands grow cold, that is fear speaking. If thy mind weigh consequence with steady pulse, that is prudence.
23.1b Counsellor Counsellor If /ɪf/ if thy /ðaɪ/ thy heart /hart/ heart beat /beːt/ beat quick /kwɪk/ quick and /and/ and thy /ðaɪ/ thy hands /handz/ hands grow /groː/ grow cold /koːld/ cold that /ðat/ that is /ɪz/ is fear /feːr/ fear speaking /ˈspeː.kɪŋ/ speaking If /ɪf/ if thy /ðaɪ/ thy mind /maɪnd/ mind weigh /weː/ weigh consequence /ˈkɔn.sɪˌkwɛns/ consequence with /wɪθ/ with steady /ˈstɛ.di/ steady pulse /pʊls/ pulse that /ðat/ that is /ɪz/ is prudence /ˈpruː.dəns/ prudence
24.1a Edmund: Then if I attend to my body’s counsel, I may parse the difference?
24.1b Edmund Edmund Then /ðɛn/ then if /ɪf/ if I /aɪ/ I attend /əˈtɛnd/ attend to /tʊ/ to my /maɪ/ my body’s /ˈbɔ.diz/ body.POSS counsel /ˈkaʊn.səl/ counsel I /aɪ/ I may /meː/ may parse /pars/ parse the /ðə/ the difference /ˈdɪ.fə.rəns/ difference
25.1a Counsellor: Ay, if the body speak, the wise man listeneth. But if passion overwhelm, even the body lies.
25.1b Counsellor Counsellor Ay /aɪ/ ay if /ɪf/ if the /ðə/ the body /ˈbɔ.di/ body speak /speːk/ speak the /ðə/ the wise /waɪz/ wise man /man/ man listeneth /ˈlɪ.sə.nəθ/ listen.3SG But /bʊt/ but if /ɪf/ if passion /ˈpa.sjʊn/ passion overwhelm /ˌoː.vərˈʍɛlm/ overwhelm even /ˈiː.vən/ even the /ðə/ the body /ˈbɔ.di/ body lies /laɪz/ lies
26.1a Edmund: If all be so uncertain, wherefore do we venture forth at all?
26.1b Edmund Edmund If /ɪf/ if all /ɔːl/ all be /beː/ be.SUBJUNCTIVE so /soː/ so uncertain /ʊnˈsɛr.tən/ uncertain wherefore /ˈʍɛːr.fɔːr/ wherefore do /duː/ do we /weː/ we venture /ˈvɛn.tjuːr/ venture forth /fɔrθ/ forth at /at/ at all /ɔːl/ all
27.1a Counsellor: Because if we venture not, we discover nothing—not even our own selves.
27.1b Counsellor Counsellor Because /bɪˈkɔːz/ because if /ɪf/ if we /weː/ we venture /ˈvɛn.tjuːr/ venture not /nɔt/ not we /weː/ we discover /dɪˈskʊ.vər/ discover nothing /ˈnʊ.θɪŋ/ nothing not /nɔt/ not even /ˈiː.vən/ even our /aʊr/ our own /oːn/ own selves /sɛlvz/ selves
28.1a Edmund: If I be Fortune’s fool, then let me be a merry one at least.
28.1b Edmund Edmund If /ɪf/ if I /aɪ/ I be /beː/ be.SUBJUNCTIVE Fortune’s /ˈfɔr.tjuːnz/ Fortune.POSS fool /fuːl/ fool then /ðɛn/ then let /lɛt/ let me /meː/ me be /beː/ be.INFINITIVE a /ə/ a merry /ˈmɛ.ri/ merry one /wʊn/ one at /at/ at least /leːst/ least
29.1a Counsellor: Now thou speakest wisely! If mirth accompany thee, the journey itself becomes reward.
29.1b Counsellor Counsellor Now /naʊ/ now thou /ðaʊ/ thou speakest /ˈspeː.kɪst/ speak.2SG wisely /ˈwaɪz.li/ wisely If /ɪf/ if mirth /mɛrθ/ mirth accompany /əˈkʊm.pə.ni/ accompany thee /ðeː/ thee the /ðə/ the journey /ˈdʒɜr.ni/ journey itself /ɪtˈsɛlf/ itself becomes /bɪˈkʊmz/ becomes reward /rɪˈwɔːrd/ reward
30.1a Edmund: Then if tomorrow bring what it may, I’ll meet it with good heart. I thank thee, friend.
30.1b Edmund Edmund Then /ðɛn/ then if /ɪf/ if tomorrow /təˈmɔ.roː/ tomorrow bring /brɪŋ/ bring what /ʍat/ what it /ɪt/ it may /meː/ may I’ll /aɪl/ I.will meet /meːt/ meet it /ɪt/ it with /wɪθ/ with good /gʊd/ good heart /hart/ heart I /aɪ/ I thank /θaŋk/ thank thee /ðeː/ thee friend /frɛnd/ friend
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This course follows the Latinum Institute methodology for autodidactic language acquisition, using construed interlinear text to make historical English immediately accessible. Each lesson focuses on a single high-frequency word drawn from a 1000-word curriculum organized by usage frequency.
Elizabethan English (c. 1558–1603) represents a pivotal moment in the history of English: the language of Shakespeare, Marlowe, and the King James Bible. Understanding this register unlocks not only the greatest works of English literature but also the foundations of modern English prose style.
The pronunciation guidance in this course reflects scholarly reconstructions of Early Modern English phonology, including features now lost: the rhotic “r” in all positions, the /tjʊn/ pronunciation of “-tion” suffixes, and vowel qualities intermediate between Middle English and modern Received Pronunciation.
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