Modals and modality in English

Аннотация

Modality is a semantic concept dealing with necessity and possibility of the knowledge of the world. It is basically divided into two types, viz. epistemic modality and deontic modality. Various grammatical categories are possibly used to show modality. However, modal verbs are one of the most important means related to the modality. Modal verbs are flexible in showing modality. This article discusses basic knowledge of modality including definition, classification (epistemic and deontic) and relationship between modality and modal verbs Key words: obligations, regulations, epistemic modality, deontic modality, epistemic interpretations, evidentiality, judgement modality Modality is generally related to the necessity, possibility, obligation, permissibility, feasibility and certainty etc. As for the classification of modality, there are several proposals. However, many scholars agree that there are generally two major types: epistemic modality and deontic modality. To begin with, let’s briefly go over various perspectives on the classification of modality. Jesperson (1924) divided modality into twenty subcategories which involved “certain attitudes of the mind of the speaker towards the content of the sentence” (1924, p. 313). This kind of classification has a significant influence to the modern research on modality and its classification though it has too many subcategories with many overlapping. The second classification was made by Rescher He divided the whole modality system into eight subcategories and his classification also includes two most important categories of modality that we still use nowadays, viz. epistemic modality and deontic modality. One of the classifications widely accepted by many scholars was made by Von Wright (1951). He divided the modality into four categories. He called modality modes at that time. His classification also included two of the most important items that had been mentioned in the previous two classifications. Von Wright’s classification is as follows. Four modes by Von Wright (1951) 1) The alethic modes or modes of truth. 2) The epistemic modes or modes of knowing. 3) The deontic modes or modes of obligation. 4) The existential modes or modes of existence. From these classifications, we can see that epistemic modality and deontic modality are the two most important categories in modality, though the criteria of the classification are different. Based on these classifications, scholars generally divide modality into two major types: epistemic modality and deontic modality. A. Epistemic Modality "Epistemic interpretations have to do with knowledge and understanding". It concerns the necessity and possibility of a proposition when there is clear-cut evidence. Therefore, epistemic modality is derived from the fact that can be true from reality. It connotes how much certainty or evidence a speaker has for the proposition expressed by his or her utterance. (1) There’s no answer, Mary must have gone. Epistemic modality is different from logical modality which always can be true in any case. Epistemic modality is further divided into two subcategories, viz. epistemic necessity and epistemic possibility. Epistemic necessity cannot always be true though it comes from real knowledge of the world. Epistemic possibility, on the contrary, isn’t based on the knowledge of the real world. It only provides one of the possibilities according to the speaker’s assumption. For example, (2) Epistemic necessity: The dinosaurs must have died out suddenly. (Kearns, 2000) (3) Epistemic possibility: It is possible that there is intelligent life in deep space. (Kearns, 2000) Epistemic modality is also divided into evidentiality and judgement modality according to Chung and Timberlake (1985) and Bybee (1985) etc. Evidentiality is an epistemic modality that connotes the speaker’s assessment of the evidence for his or her statement. Judgment modality is an epistemic modality that connotes the speaker’s strength of inference or degree of confidence in the reality of the proposition expressed by his or her utterance. According to Jesperson (1924), epistemic modality is further divided into aproductive, necessitate, assertive, presumptive, dubitative, potential, conditional hypothetical and concessional modality etc. Generally speaking, non-human subjects are used in epistemic sentences. B. Deontic Modality Deontic modality is a modality that connotes the speaker’s degree of requirement, desire or commitment to the proposition. It relates to “constraints grounded in society: duty, morality, laws, rules etc.” and deontic proposition often concerns obligations or permissions, hope or requirements etc. (Griffiths, 2006) Deontic modality chiefly depends on modal verbs such as, can, must, have to, ought to, could have done etc. to express the meanings. Deontic modality is also divided into deontic necessity and deontic possibility. Deontic necessity concerns obligations and regulations that must be followe