MOODS, MODALITY

AND MODAL VERBS

Presentation plan
A. Definitions and distinctions (mood, modality)
B. Concepts of modality
C. Ways of expressing modality
D. Types of modality
E. Modal verbs.

Mood

formal category (expressed - verb

inflections/auxiliaries) - the various ways in which
the action or the state is thought of by the speaker
(Curme 1947).
syntactic abstraction whose content the
speakers evaluation of the event expressed by the
sentence verb (to be - something real/factual or
desirable, conditioned, probable, possible,
necessary, etc., i.e. distinguishing between the
opposition [+] real).

A type of situation: real or

fact
real:
The Danube flows into the Black Sea.
Galai is situated on the left bank of the Danube.

fact (involving a factual meaning):

Septimus is in love. or It is laughable that Septimus is in love.
(Yes, this is a fact: he is in love)
(example - extracted from Leech 2004: 120)

A type of situation: unreal

supposition (involving a theoretical or non-factual meaning):
real supposition (plan for the future):
It is proposed that the Assembly elect a new Committee. (mandative
subjunctive)

unreal supposition (referring to an imaginary/hypothetical state of

affairs):
It is laughable that Septimus should be in love. (whether he is in love or not
is a different matter) [analytical subjunctive]

hypothesis (involving something contrary to fact, i.e., a

counterfactual meaning):
It would be laughable if Septimus were in love. (but actually he is not in love)
(examples - extracted from Leech 2004: 120)

Moods
Indicative - the speakers evaluation of a state/event to be a fact or
something real.
They work hard for their daily bread.

Subjunctive - the speakers evaluation of a state/event to be something

supposed to happen in the future or supposed to have happened in
the past, thus involving a theoretical or non-factual meaning.
Friends should be supportive and frank.

Conditional - a condition underlying the statement, thus emphasizing its

hypothetical or counterfactual meaning:
If your father had caught us, he would have been furious. (but in fact he didnt)
If she were slimmer she could run faster. (but she actually isnt)
The hypothetical or counterfactual meaning may also be expressed with the help
of the subjunctive:
What if wed lost our way (but in fact we didnt)
I wish I hadnt swallowed that last glass of whiskey. (but in fact I did)
(examples extracted from Leech 2004: 125)

Modality
(1) the speakers relation to reality
(2) the speakers evaluation of state-of-affairs
(3) the speakers cognitive, emotive, or volitional
qualification of a state-of-affairs.

Modality may refer to the speaker, to the event or to

the proposition. (Propositions are interpreted here
semantically, as sentences expressing a truth, which
is obvious both the speaker and to the hearer).

It may be warmer in the afternoon.

Scale of certainty
In an impersonal tone, in declarative sentences,
speakers may express:
(i) certainty:

He is certain to be there.
It is inevitable that there will be a violent outcome.

(ii) probability:

It is likely that the footballer will be able t o play.

He ought to be able to play.

(iii) possibility:

It is possible that the train will be delayed.

I am not certain to be there.

(iv) nil certainty:

It is not possible for Emily to go to college.

Scale of certainty II
In a personal tone, in declarative sentences, speakers may
express their own:
(i) conviction (believe, be + convinced, positive, confident, sure,
certain):
I am sure our football team will win tonight.
(ii) conjecture (think, presume, suppose, infer, daresay, expect,
judge, conclude, trust, be of the opinion, assume, hold, suspect,
subscribe to the view that, anticipate, foresee, predict, prophesy,
consider, reckon, surmise, guess, imagine, conjecture):
I think they will be here in time.
(iii) doubt (wonder, be + skeptical, doubtful, dubious):
I doubt whether there is any hope for him.
(iv) disbelief (doubt, wonder, be +skeptical, doubtful, dubious +
negative):
I dont believe in your managerial skills.

Semantic interpretation

Intellective modal concepts - attitudes connected to

reason or to the speakers/listeners power of
judgment:

Emotional concepts - connected to verbs of

(positive or negative) attitude:

belief, conviction, skepticism, doubt, possibility, prediction,

logical necessity.

admiration, love, desire, hatred, regret, wish, hate,

appreciation, and anger or even (dis)approval.

Volitional concepts of modality - speakers act of

making a choice or a decision:

firmness, order, necessity, request, application, obligation,

prohibitions, refusal, threat, determination, and willingness.

Means of expressing
modality

Grammatical

Lexical
Morphological
Syntactic

Rhetorical

Lexical means of expressing

modality
Proper names involving a certain humour,
or concealing euphemistic values, (known
mainly to native speakers):

The Old Gentleman/old Gooseberry (Scaraochi),

Mrs Grundy (gura lumii), and Joe Black (Doamna
cu coasa)
John Barleycorn (personification of alcoholic
liquor) in:

I have just run into the John Barleycorn of our

family.

Lexical means of expressing

modality
English phrases which suggest:

doubt: tell that to the marines!

disapproval: to wash ones dirty linen in the
public
humouristic disapproval to be a bit on (a fi
afumat)
approval: you may well say so
irony: the devils own luck

Lexical means of expressing

modality
Proverbs. modalled idioms and proverbs (Croitoru
2002: 86125) :

modalled idioms (i.e., idioms with a modal value)

Can a duck swim? (vrei calule ovz ?)

It will happen in a month of Sundays (la Sfntu-ateapt)

proverbs

A bad thing never dies. (buruiana rea nu piere)

A bad padlock invites a picklock. (paza buna)

Morphological means
(nominal constructions)

modal nouns: possibility, probability, chance,

and likelihood.

Theres just a chance that he may come.

modal adjectives: possible, probable, likely.

a) in impersonal constructions:

Its possible he may have come

b) as part of a nominal group:

The likely winner of this afternoons race or the

most probable outcome of this trial...

Morphological means
modal adverbs: probably, possibly, surely,
merely.

You were obviously delighted with your new car.

Interjections cover a large span of feelings:

oh! (surprise)
ah! (satisfaction, recognition)
aha! (jubilant satisfaction, recognition)
yippee! (excitement, delight)
ouch! / ow! / ooh! (pain)
ugh! (disgust)

Morphological means
(lexical verbs)
lexical verbs the verbs in this group express such notions as:
asserting (believe, consider, think, reckon)
I believe he will be successful in his career.
evaluating (suspect, guess)
The detainees are suspected to belong to terrorist
organizations.
requesting (beg, require, request, invite)
We request your presence with our anniversary.
suggesting (advise, suggest, suppose, presume)
Emily advised Donald to be more cautious.
exercising authority (allow, command, guarantee, forbid,
nominate, wish, declare, proclaim, warn)
The doctor did not allow any civilian to enter the hospital.

Morphological means (verb

patterns)
lexico-modal auxiliaries or modal phrases
(be / have + adjective + infinitive: be apt/able
to, be capable to, be bound to, be
sure/certain to, be possible/probable/likely to,
be liable to) (Croitoru 2002: 80-1)

The protesters are sure to be arrested.

Nicky is likely to win the contest.

the use of remote past:

I thought Id go along with you, if you dont mind

Morphological means (modal

patterns)
modal idioms: would rather, had better, would
sooner, would (just) as soon, had best (Zdrenghea,
168)

I would sooner you assumed responsibilities.

Im sure they would just as soon stay at home
We had best forget what happened. (Quirk et al.
1985:226)

modal periphrases: have got to (gotta), be going to

(gonna), be willing to, be inclined to, be about to, be
to, be capable of, be supposed/expected to, be
allowed/permitted to, be in a position (determined by
the circumstances) to:

She was about to leave the room when the phone rang.

Morphological means (modal

verbs)
modal/pure/syntactic auxiliaries: can, could,
may, might, must, have to, shall, should, will,
would, ought to.

Dogs can distinguish many odors.

pseudo / semi / quasi modals: need, dare,

be to, used to, have to:

She neednt pay for that bill, I have already done it.
Dare he steal his brothers money?

Syntactic means
If-clauses used to express doubt or uncertainty:

If you know what I mean.

If you dont mind my saying so.
What if hes had an accident?

Rhetorical questions (positive/negative):

Is that a reason for despair? (Certainly, that is not)

Didnt I tell you were lying? (You know, I told)

Syntactic means II
Exclamations and exclamatory sentences:

Capital! Good of/for you!

Exclamatory sentences in the negative:

Hasnt she lost weight! (She has lost weight, hasnt she?)

Exclamatory questions with a positive form:

Did she look annoyed?

Rhetorical means
Repetitions:

This car is far, far too expensive for us!

Emphatic means:

Such a beautiful girl!

She treated them so carefully!
You do look nice today!

Negative intensifiers: not (in the verb form) +

at all

I do not/dont like vegetables at all.

the use of non-assertive items, such as any:

Hell drink any kind of juice.

Types of modality

To interpret modality, L. Horn (1972)

proposes three scales:
they can be defined by (1) entailment and
(2) quantitative conversational implicature:

logical
epistemic
deontic

Logical scale
The logical scale relates:
necessity truth possibility.
Thus:
possible is entailed by necessary and it
implicates the negation of necessary, but
only if it is regarded as a non-logical
relationship.

Epistemic scale
epistemic scale relates: certainty probability possibility.

His car is near the garden, so he must be at home now. (certainty)

They should be back home in half an hour. (probability)
Jennifer is Victors best friend, so she may know his address. (possibility)

Epistemic modalities: prediction, (logical) necessity and possibility.

The speakers role: to comment on the content of the clause, to make
reference to (lack of) knowledge or evaluating an interpretation of
reality.
refers to the sentence subjects (lack of) knowledge; it describes those
modalities revealing the value speakers attach to their utterance

Epistemic scale II
Prediction - would (narratives) be apt to (repeated

states/happenings):

The stage director noticed that Brad Pit was apt to play complex characters.

Logical necessity - based - process of deduction:

-

Your mobile phone must be in your bag (subjective: I know you keep it there)
Your mobile phone has to be in your bag (more objective: ladies keep it there)

Epistemic possibility (possibility of something to be true) - negative

clauses - can:

Take a very good look at them, they cant be real pearls.

Within epistemic modality speakers evaluate an interpretation of reality,

and in so doing they refer to (their own) knowledge.

Epistemic scale III

is the modality of the propositions:

It is possible for my daughter to be at the library now.

My daughter may be at the library now. (strong possibility)
My daughter told me her todays plan; she will be at the
library now. (assumptive)

Modal certainty: prediction or logical necessity:

will, must, be bound to:

The broadcast will be over by now. (prediction, I know it

from experience)
The broadcast must be over by now. (logical necessity:
the lights are off)

Deontic scale
strong obligation (request) weak obligation (suggestion)
permission.

You may share your room with your cousin. (permission)

You must share your room with your cousin. (obligation)
Shall I use my e-mail address for the conference correspondence?
(offer)

may (permission) and must (obligation).

shall (offer) deontic: performatives, discourse- or speaker-oriented
verbs.
obligations and permissions. The speakers role: active one as (s)he
intervenes in the speech event and since (s)he refers to obligation and
permission this may bring about changes in the event.

You must observe the deadline or else you may miss the opportunity.

Dynamic (neutral/able/ability)
modality Hornby (1963:228)
(1) ability physical power or capacity, or from knowledge or skill.
This box is very heavy, can you lift it?
Grannie is over seventy but she can still read without glasses.
Can you only understand Swedish or can you speak it as
well?
(2) ability resulting from circumstances be in a position to
Can you come to the meeting tomorrow? (Are you free to do
so/in a position to do so?)
Can you lend me five pounds? (Are you in a position to do
so?)

Dynamic modality II
detectable when can means possible for and must is used to
indicate necessary for.

The tutor can give you the right answer. (meaning: it is possible for
him to give you the right answer).
You must leave your valuables in the hotel safe because we do not
feel responsible for things stolen from the hotel rooms. (meaning: it is
necessary for you to )

Subject-oriented dynamic modality: can (ability) and will (when

involving willingness). It refers to the modality of events - not
conditioned deontically.

A skillful professional like him can fix your boat in less that a week.
If only the headmaster will give us an interview!

Dynamic modality III

Dynamic/ability modalities: physical capacity, skill
or knowledge as well as with circumstances which
enable subjects to carry out a particular task.

This carpenter can make a chair and a stool a day.

The speakers role: attitudinally neutral since (s)he

neither evaluates, comments or interprets nor
intervenes in the proposition, but only asserts or
inquires about the subjects capacity of performing a
task.

My private secretary can type 40 words a minute.

An approach to modal verbs

(behaviour) divided into

(a) central: can, could, may, might, must,

(b) marginal: used to, ought to, need, dare

Share morphological and syntactic

features

Morphological features of
modal verbs

Can vs to can:

Third person:

They can play in the snow.

They can mushrooms in this workshop.
He can play in the snow but he may not do it today.

forms:

May we wait for you here?

No, you must not/ you mustnt.

Syntactic features: modality

and tempo-aspectuality

You may smoke in the hotel lounge.

They may have had an accident.

Actors can be rehearsing for hours.

She must have been watching television for hours that

is why she looks exhausted.

Syntactic features: modality

and the passive voice

They may be punished for their mistakes.

The hostages may have been already killed.

The prisoner must be being interrogated now.

Conclusions

when not epistemic, modals may be either subject- or objectoriented.

can and will are subject-oriented and refer to the ability or

willingness of the sentence subject

may, shall and must are discourse-oriented and they relate to

the speakers action when giving permission, making a promise
or laying an obligation.

The syntagm discourse-oriented - meaningfully larger; it may

accept not only the speakers but also the hearers intervention.
In a question as May I come in? which illustrates an instance of
asking for permission, permission relates to the hearer and not to
the speaker.