Chapter 2
1. Modality
“ a semantic phenomenon, expressing the attitude and state of knowledge about a proposition” (Frawly, 1992:386)
2. Epistemic and deontic modality
Epistemic possibility, belief, report, conclusion, opinion, speculation, doubt, certainty, levels of commitment, etc.
E.g: Ron must be an accountant.
-> By my reasoning and judgment, Ron is an accountant.
(1) Weak commitment (possibility):
Perhaps you have a bottle.
(2) Strong commitment (necessity):
I’m forced to conclude that you are tolerant.
3. Mood and modality
• Indicative
- She said that she loved me.
•
- Will she marry me?
Imperative
- Be quiet
•
- Put it on the table!
Subjunctive
-
-
I wish I could fly
It is required that he be here
- I demand that he come at once.
4. Personal modality
• Form-modality markers
-
-
Seriously, do you love her?
Personally, I don’t like chess
- Frankly, it is an unwise move
-> I am serious to ask whether you love her or not.
-> It is my personal idea that I don’t like chess
• Content-modality markers
-
-
-
Obviously, nobody expected it to happen.
Wisely, she stayed at home.
To our surprise, they arrived home early
Deontic obligation, permission
( orders, rights, willing, duty, requirement, etc).
E.g: Ron must be an accountant.
-> Ron has no choice but to be an accountant.
(1) Permission (possibility): you are permitted to take a bottle.
(2) Obligation (necessity):
You are required to be very tolerant.
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-> That nobody expected it to happen is obvious
-> That they arrived home early is surprising
5. Other expressions
•
Model verbs: may, might, will, would, should, must, ought to, need, can, etc
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Adverbs: maybe, possibly, perhaps, certainly, necessarily, etc
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Adjectives: possible, likely, compulsory, certain, etc
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Nouns: duty, obligation, likelihood, possibility, chance, etc
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Modal lexical verbs
I strongly believe that she will become a good teacher. -> epistemic
I order you to take the teaching job for you career. -> Deontic
•
Modality in subordinate clause
I strongly believe that she will become a good teacher. -> epistemic
I order that you take the teaching job for you career. -> Deontic
=> The main verbs indicate modality
6. major differences
6.1. Truth status and other-orientation:
•
Epistemic: has the status of a proposition, involves the commitment of the self.
Epistemic possibility: It may be Tom
-> I imply that I do not know that the proposition is false.
Epistemic necessity: It must be Tom
-> I imply that on the basis of my knowledge I have, I cannot accept that there is any possibility of the proposition not being true.
•
Deontic: involves the commitment of others, has the character of an action.
“Tom must go”
-> The speaker appears to report the obligation and the hearer’s commitment to the obligation is required.
Deontic possibility: You may come in now.
-> I give permission for the action to be performed.
Deontic necessity: You must come in now.
-> I required that the action be performed.
6. 2. Time:
- Deontic modality: futurity (forward directionality): I require or permit something to be done after the obligation is imposed or permission granted.
- Epistemic modality: present, past and future:
He must be in Moscow now.
He must have been to Moscow.
It may rain tonight.
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