Modality

In semiotics, a modality is a particular way in which information is to be encoded for presentation to humans, i.e. to the type of sign and to the status of reality ascribed to or claimed by a sign, text or genre. It is more closely associated with the semiotics of Charles Peirce (1839–1914) than Ferdinand de Saussure (1857–1913) because meaning is conceived as an effect of a set of signs. In the Peircean model, a reference is made to an object when the sign (or representamen) is interpreted recursively by another sign (which becomes its interpretant), a conception of meaning that does in fact imply a classification of sign types.

Modality is one of the two ingredient parts of predication, the other being temporality. Modality and temporality are the two ingredient parts of predication.

Modality is the speaker’s attitude towards what he is speaking about. In the wide sense of the word it is any attitude - in this meaning it is normally used in literal criticism meaning the emotional key-note. According to the narrower approach modality as the speaker’s attitude from the point of view of the reality of the action - the degree of reality of the action. In the later approach two spheres of modality are to be distinguished:

- modality of reality/unreality proper which is usually marked by the category of mood - the morphological way of expressing modality;

- modality of necessity, probability, which is usually expressed by means modal verbs, words and expressions.

Modality always carries some elements of subjectivity which is clear from the very definition, but considering the two spheres we see, 1st sphere is more objective and the 2nd is more subjective.

Modality can be expressed at all the lingual levels:

- phonetically (intonation, emphatic stresses);

- lexically (modal verbs, phrases, words);

- grammatically (morphologically - morphologically modality is marked by the Moods);

- syntactically it can be expressed by certain syntactic structures which are not special ways of expressing modality but which may acquire some special modal change: tags, pseudo-questions and pseudo-subordinate clauses (And he is a scoundrel, that brother of yours. You ’re ready, aren't you? (in both cases - the modality of reality and assurance)). By pseudo-questions we mean sentences which are constructed like questions, but which are not questions but assertions: Do you know him? - Do I know him! (Мне ли его не гнать!) By pseudo-subordinate clauses we mean constructions, which look like subordinate clauses, which are introduced by certain subordinate conjunctions, but which are also complete assertions: As if you have never heard of it! - Как будто ты не знаешь об этом! All these structures are expressively charged and they all carry the subjective modality of assurance and the objective modality of reality.

Modality can also be expressed through nouns, adjectives and adverbs.

Modal nouns: possibility, probability, certainty, obligation, necessity, requirement

Modal adjectives: possible, probable, obligatory, necessary, required, determined, likely, certain

Modal adverbs: possibly, probably, maybe, perhaps, sometimes, always, never, certainly, definitely

Epistemic vs. deontic modality

Epistemic modals are used to indicate the possibility or necessity of some piece of knowledge. In the epistemic use, modals can be interpreted as indicating inference or some other process of reasoning involved in coming to the conclusion stated in the sentence containing the modal. However, epistemic modals do not necessarily require inference, reasoning, or evidence. One effect of using an epistemic modal (as opposed to not using one) is a general weakening of the speaker's commitment to the truth of the sentence containing the modal. However, it is disputed whether the function of modals is to indicate this weakening of commitment, or whether the weakening is a by-product of some other aspect of the modal's meaning.

Examples of the expression of epistemic modality in English are: he might be there (low probability, substantial doubt), He may be there (possibility), He should be there by now (high probability), and He must be there by now (certitude, no doubt).

In contrast, deontic modality is concerned with possibility and necessity in terms of freedom to act (including ability, permission, and duty). English examples include She can go (ability), You may go (permission), You should go (request), and You must go (command). In English as in many other languages, some of the same words are used for deontic modality as for epistemic modality, and the meaning is distinguished from context: He must be there by now (epistemic) versus He must be there tomorrow at noon (deontic).

Questions:

1. What is the composite sentence in the modern approach?

2. Who was the first to introduce the idea of tire sentence as a unit?

3. What was included in the simple sentence?

4. What are the subdivisions of the compound sentence? Give the definitions of each of them.

5. What is the difference between a simple sentence and part of a compound sentence according to Freeze?

6. Talk about the ways helping to avoid the ambiguity concerning the fact that a compound sentence in fact is a number of sentences.

7. Which two principal types of construction the Composite sentences display?

8. Which approaches are the subordinate clauses based on?

9. Give a definition of a complex sentence.

10. Give a definition of the modality.

11. How many spheres of modality can be distinguished?

12. What kind of modal change may modality acquire?

Exercises:

1. Classify these adverbial clauses according to their semantics:

a) Bessie sometimes narrated on winter evenings, when she chanced to be in good humour.

b) Mr. Miles affirmed that he would do very well if he had fewer cakes and sweetmeats sent him from home...

c)...I went to the window-seal to put in order some picture-books and doll’s- house furniture scattered there...

d) There were moments when I was bewildered by the terror he inspired, because I had no appeal whatever against either his menaces or his inflictions.

e) My racked nerves were now in such a state that no calm could soothe, and no pleasure excite them agreeably.

f) She never saw him strike or abuse me, though he did both now and then in her presence.

g)... Bums immediately left the class, and going into the small inner room where the books were kept, returned in half a minute...

h)... she took her hands out of my arm, and gazed at me as if she really did not know whether I were child or fiend.

2. According to the syntactic forms the adverbial clauses present, they can be classified into five groups: finite, ed-clauses, ing-claitses, to-clauses, verbless clauses. Use this criterion to classify the following sentences:

a)...till emerging from the total and somewhat dreary silence pervading that portion of the house we had traversed, we came upon the hum of many voices...

b) When. I dared move, I got up and went to see.

c) After tea. I asked leave of the new superintendent to go to Lowton...

d)... a testimonial of character and capacity, signed by fire inspectors of that institutions, should forth-with be furnished me.

e)... I was tugging at tire sash to put out the crumbs on the window-sill...

3. Give your own examples illustrating modality at the phonological, lexical, grammatical and syntactical levels.