ModalityA term used in syntactic and semantic analysis to

refer to meanings connected with degrees of necessity, obligation or desirability

It is expressed mainly by verbs but also by associated forms

Modality is a general term which describes unrealised states and possible conditions and the forms of language which encode them such as:

possibly, perhaps, could be, should be and ought to be

Modality is normally conveyed by modal verbs

Modal verbsThey may express more than one kind of

modalityE.g ‘He must be in bed, because we have

looked everywhere else ‘ is a conjecture

‘He must be in bed by nine o’clock. He’s got school tomorrow’ is an order or obligation

The interpersonal function of language

the speaker’s or writer’s attitude towards or point of view about a state of the world

Certainty or possibility or probabilityTrying to get things done or trying to control

the course of events; degrees of obligation and whether something

is necessary, desirable permitted or forbidden, volition and instructions

Modal adverbsModality can also be signalled by modal

adverbs such as: possibly, probably, presumably, definitely - as well as by related adjectives or nouns

Functions of modal formsModal forms are an interpersonal aspect of

grammar and are central to all spoken and written language use

In conversational discourse they serve to mark out personal relationships and to convey important features such as politeness, indirectness, assertiveness etc

Subjective assessmentModality in language underlines our

subjective assessment of thingsE.g adverbs like: probably, generally,

apparently;Phrases like: it is certain, I am sureVerbs such as: it seems, it appearsOr the use of the present tense

Degrees of subjectivityAll these encode different degrees of

subjective response in the view of the speaker or writer

Forms and meaningsModality also covers indications either of a

kind of speech act or the degree of certainty with which something is said

He left at once differs in modality from Leave at once

He can’t have left’(epistemic) from You can’t leave now (deontic)

Forms and meanings cont’dYou must leave (obligation) differs from ‘You

can leave if you like’ (permission)perhaps he has left differs from He has

definitely left

Interpersonal meaningsModality is concerned with assertion and

assertiveness, tentativeness, commitment, detachment and other crucial aspects of interpersonal meaning (as opposed to ideational or content meanings)

They form a part of the tenor of discourseThey are part of how a person presents

his/her self through language

Two thingsVerb phrases without a modal auxiliary are

“about” the subject of a sentence. They state a proposition

Statements or questions which contain a modal auxiliary are about two things:

1. the proposition and2. the speaker’s or (in the case of questions)

the listener’s opinion or judgement of it

Signalling involvementThe speaker’s choice of modal expressions

signals both the degree and type of involvement a speaker has in the content of his/her message

DistancingSo called past forms are not related to past

time but rather to remoteness or distance this can be in terms of:

time, relationship or likelihood. This is useful to remember when looking at

politeness conventions and issues of register

Type of modality 1: EpistemicEpistemic or extrinsic modality:

commitment to the truth of the proposition: i.e. the speaker’s confidence in the truth of the proposition expressed, and reflect the certainty and the authority of these propositions.

It refers to the logical status of events or states, assessments of likelihood. Associated with confidence and lack of confidence but also with power and authority

Type of modality 2: Deontic or intrinsic modalityThe system of duty, attitude to the degree of

obligation which the speaker does not expect to be disputed on.

Associated with power and formalityDirectives (warnings, requests, advice,

suggestions, permissions)Commands, instructions

Forms expressing modalityEpistemic: modal verbs, modal lexical verbs,

modal adverbs, phrases and expressions, perception verbs

Deontic: modal verbs, deontic expressions, evaluative adverbs and adjectives

Degrees of modality

(LOW) Permission - volition - duty - obligation insistence - command (HIGH)

(LOW) Possibility - probability -logical necessity – prediction - factuality (HIGH)

Idiomatic phrases with modal meaningsBe to (for orders, fixed events, desirable

states, hypothetical future) Be going to (firm predictions based on

evidence at time of speaking)Had better (desirable or advisable actions)Have got to (obligations from outside)Would rather (preferring one state to

another)

Other modal expressions with beBe about toBe able to Be bound toBe due toBe likely toBe meant toBe obliged toBe supposed to be sure to

More modal meaningsNouns, adjectives and adverbs likeappearance, apparent, apparentlycertainty, certain, certainlyEvidence, evident, evidentlyInevitability, inevitable, inevitablyNecessity, necessary, necessarilyPossibility, possible, possiblyProbability, probable, probably

Some informal expressionsFor certainFor definiteFor sure

Modality can tell us how a person feels about what they are telling us, their stance or attitude, whether they are assertive or tentative, how committed or how detached they are and other crucial aspects of interpersonal meaning. It is part of the tenor of discourse

It is more than just modal verbs

Reporting and commentingEditorial

Voice of the newspaperUnsigned

Op-ed (opposite the editorial)Comment article

Functions of the editorialPersuade

Create a consensus of opinion with the readers

Editorial languageEmotive vocabularyModality – authorityGeneric statements (show authority, the

editorial claims total knowledge)Argumentative – e.g. rhetorical questions,

metaphors, hyperbole.First person plural pronouns - we

The right to assess or appraiseStance, appraisal and assessment are all

about relative positionsWho is in a position to appraisePositions of authority

Voice of the MirrorRespect is due for our soldiers The disgraceful protests against soldiers

in the Royal Anglian Regiment returning home have no place in Britain.

Those men who were waving placards that attack our brave soldiers as "butchers" only shamed themselves.

Our soldiers have a right to respect and pride when they return from a tour of duty.

They have given their all for their country.

The Sun saysMob rule

OUR brave troops have enough to put up with as they risk life and limb in Afghanistan and Iraq.

To top it all, now they fly home to vicious abuse from Islamic fanatics.

The Royal Anglians had to face a chanting mob waving grotesque placards accusing THEM of terrorism and child murder.

Astonishingly, this despicable demo went ahead with police approval.

When it turned predictably ugly, who did our brave bobbies arrest?

Not the extremists who started the trouble, but a couple of locals who rallied to Our Boys’ defence.

Voice of the MirrorBlacklists ruin livesBlacklisting workers is wrong and must be

stamped out completely.The disclosure that some of Britain's biggest

companies secretly banned individuals from jobs demands a strong Government response.

Men and women deprived of their livelihoods were unable to challenge allegations that were often inaccurate.

And a person's political views should never be a bar to employment in a democracy.

International paedophile register is needed

The worrying case of the convicted paedophile found working as a children's nurse in an NHS hospital raises serious issues.

The need for a comprehensive, international register is clear so paedophiles aren't able to sneak undetected from country to country.

The safety of our kids must never be compromised