summary of modal verb functions

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  • 7/28/2019 Summary of Modal Verb Functions

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    SUMMARY OF MODAL VERB FUNCTIONSWe have identified three general categories of meaning for modal verbs, which may be seen to

    be related systematically. These are:-

    (1) intrinsic modality - influences concerning degree ofobligation, duty, necessity,permission and responsibility;

    (2) extrinsic modality - knowledge as to the likelihood of an event occurring;

    (3) time modality - time reference from moment of speaking.

    This can be shown systematically as follows, where "I" represents intrinsic modality, "E"

    extrinsic modality, and "T" time reference:-

    Some of the ways in which this system is realised in particular modal verbs can then be shown

    in a similar way. Although the three categories of meaning are shown as distinct, in practice,

    there are areas of overlap where particular instances of use may combine more than one or all

    of these aspects of meaning.

    * The notion of ability is treated by some grammarians as a special instance of possibility. Thus

    in the above example "he can play the guitar" means "he has the ability to play the guitar".

    However, this sort of ability (i.e. a skill) may also be interpreted as an inherent property, and

    hence having more in common with with intrinsic modality than extrinsic. In practice, both

    areas of meaning would seem to be involved. Note the ability/possibility contrast of meaning in

    the following:-(i) She can walk on her own now. (ability)

    (ii) She can walk to school because it's quite near.(possibility)

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    * There is a special relationship betweenNEED and MUST, in that the absence of compulsion

    is expressed byNEEDN'T and not MUSTN'T.e.g. You needn't have a licence.

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    * The functional analysis forWILL / SHALL above is considerably simplified, and there is no

    definite distinction between prediction and time reference. The two functions may be said to

    cohere rather than be distinguishable.

    *DARE is regarded as a marginal modal verb because of its restricted usage - either in

    negative polarity or in the idiomatic "I dare say..." form. However, both structurally and

    semantically it does function within the system of modality, although in a limited way.

    There are a number of modal verbs which signify past time. These are WOULD, SHOULD,

    COULD, MIGHT, and USED TO. The latter is only used to signify a habitual aspect in the past(we shall discuss the meaning of aspect later). We have seen also that COULD can also

    function with the meaning ofCAN with past time reference, similarly as doesNEEDED

    function as the past ofNEED. The auxiliaries WOULD, SHOULD, COULD and MIGHT are

    also subject to further system of semantic function, similar to that which we saw operates for

    the past simple tense generally. These verbs thus also occur in politeness and hypothetical

    modes.

    The foregoing discussion constitutes only a very simplified and partial representation of the

    systematic semantic relationships which exist between the modal verbs. In following sections

    we shall describe other related systems which operate at medial and final positions in the verbal

    group. But first we should consider the two other initial systems which remain to be described,

    polarity and emphasis.