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LIN020L007A Syntax and Morphology

Tahmina Haque

Modal Verbs

A modal verb, also known as a modal auxiliary, is a type of auxiliary verb that is used to indicate modality. In 'Understanding English Grammar' Payne defines modality as a complex conceptual domain. Many researchers have written on defining auxiliarihood and modaity ( Palmer 1986; Nagle 1989; Heine 1993). There is no correct way to define modality because of its highly distinctive and variable feature. Palmer (1986: 4) tries to explain the reason:

'The real problem with modality is just not that there is great variation in meaning across languages but that there is no clear basic feature.'

Modality is not only marked by modal verbs, it is also marked by mood and by particle and clitics. All these together make the syntax and semantics of modality one of the biggest problem for grammatical analysis.

In this essay English modal verbs and their general characteristics are brought together followed by their complex effect in the language in terms of meanings and their general use in communication.

Modal verbs are members of a large set of auxiliary verbs which have some common characteristics. Below is a table listing the modal verbs and their classification ( Quirk et al. 1985: 137):

Class of verbs	Examples
CENTRAL MODALS MARGINAL MODALS MODAL IDIOMS SEMI-AUXILIARIES	can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would dare, need, ought to, used to had better, would rather/ sooner, BE to, HAVE got to, etc  Have to, BE about to, BE able to, BE going to, BE likely to, BE supposed to, BE obliged to, BE supposed to, BE willing to, etc

Morphological and syntactic characteristics of modal verbs:

The modal verbs have been classified according to their morphological and syntactical characteristics. Below are some characteristics of the central modals verbs :

Takes bare infinitive Takes negation directly Takes inversion without DO 'Code' Emphasis  No -s form for third-person singular No non-finite form No co-occurrence Abnormal time refercence They have no imperative There are suppletive negative form

I can go. can't, mustn't can I? must I? I can swim and so can you.. She COULD finish that *cans, *musts *to can, *musting *may will You COULD leave this evening. (not past time) *Must come now! Ayesha must be there → Ayesha needn't be there.

The table below shows central modal verbs also take a morphologically past form :

Present tense	Past tense
Can Farhana can study all night. Will Ayesha knows he will help her Shall I know I shall help the kids May I know the students may need help.	Could Farhana could study all night. Would Ayesha knew he would help her. Should I knew I should help the kids. Might I knew the students might need help

The past form of the verbs might, would, could, should are also used as different modal verbs with different meanings.

'Must' do not have a morphological past form. Syntactical change takes place to express past time:

I must finish my syntax and morphology assignment (present)

I must have finished syntax and morphology assignment (past)

Marginal Modals

Dare, need, used to and ought to display some but not all of the properties of the central modal verbs. For example, dare and need take a bare infinitive complement in negated and/or inverted structures:

daren't you ask? You needn't go every morning.  Dare I suggest that that is last opportunity?

As a marginal modal verb 'need' has no past tense:

*He needed go there.

'Used to' occurs only in the past tense form. 'Ought to' and 'used to' do not take  inversion without 'DO ':

* Used to I ?

* Ought to I?

Modal idioms do not take negation directly :

* I hadn't better go to the bank now.

Semi-modals

Semi modals are recent addition to the modal verbs after a process of grammaticalization. They do not have all the characteristics of the primary modals. Unlike the primary modals, the semi-auxiliaries may come together to make a long string of verbs:

He seems to be going to have to keep on doing these exercises. I am likely to be about to start working on my assignment.

Most of the semi modals can be marked for tense and persons :

He has to close the shop → He had to close the shop. (tense)

He was able to jump of the bridge → They were able to jump off the bridge. ( person)

Modal verbs can appear in the dependent clause of complex sentences :

He requested that they should arrive early ( clausal object)

I did it so that they should come. (Oblique clause)

It is essential that they should come (clausal subject)

It is likely that they will come (clausal subject)

Function of modal verbs:

Modal verbs are very common in conversation and written language. They indicate two kinds of modality:

Epistemic modality: Epistemic modality (from Greek word 'επιστημική' meaning knowledge) is concerned with speaker's perception, knowledge, belief as to how real the situation is. A speaker can at least four different ways show that he is not sure of his assertion:

1. by speculating

2. by showing he is presenting it as a deduction

3. that he has been told about it

4. that his assertion is based on the evidence of senses.

Deontic modality: 'Deontic' comes from the Greek word 'δεω', means 'bind', 'need' . Deontic modality expresses obligation, permission or debt to do something. It is concerned with the expression by the speaker of his attitude towards possible actions by himself and/ or others.

Below are some of the modal verbs showing epistemic and deontic modality:

Deontic Modality

Permission	You can leave the classroom now. You may go now
Suggestion	You could see a movie or go out to dinner. You might visit the botanical gardens during your visit.   We can meet tomorrow.
insistence	You must stop bringing flowers. You'd better clean that mess right now! She has to take the application from the central office . I would rather starve than eat your bread.
Obligation (weak/ strong)	They have to leave early I really should be in the office by 7:00 AM I have got to be at work by 8:30 AM.  I'm supposed to cook for the children. I'm not obliged to pay for that fee. I have to present in the staff meeting. The students are to study hard to do good in their exam.
Certainty	This answer has to be correct. This must be the right address!
Advice/ recommendation/ suggestion	When you go to Berlin, you should visit the palaces in Potsdam You had better take your umbrella with you today. You ought to stop smoking. You've got to be strong for your kids.
order	You'll leave the classroom at six. You must not leave the class. Can you come here a minute, please?

Epistemic Modality

Possibility	Extreme rain could cause the river to flood the city. Any child can grow up to be a president. Your watch might be in the living room. Saa'd may be at home, or perhaps at work.
Probability	This stock ought to increase in value.  They should be here by noon. He is likely to be late.
Prediction	It will rain tomorrow There is somebody coming. That'll be Peter.
Ability	I can ride a horse. Nancy could ski like a pro by the age of 11. I'm able to sleep through the night.
Conditional	If he were an actor, he would be in adventure movies.  We could go on the trip if I didn't have to work this weekend.  If I finish my assignment tonight, I'll watch a movie. If I didn't have to work, I might go with you.
Assumption	They must be in the beach by now. That ought to be her car.

Most primary modal verbs have both epistemic and deontic functions:

Modal verbs

Can Could May Might Must Should Would Shall will

He can fly planes. ( deontic) That can indeed help. (epistemic) Farhana could run fast before. ( deontic) We could go out to watch a movie. (epistemic) May I come in? ( deontic) He may jump off the bridge. (epistemic) You might just send her a card. ( deontic) I might not go to university tomorrow. (epistemic) Zayed must go to school. ( deontic) Ayesha must be in Manchester by now. (epistemic) We should abide by the law. ( deontic) That should surprise her. (epistemic) He would be happy to have the kitten. (epistemic) You shall go to the shop. ( deontic) One day I shall be a politician. (epistemic) I'll go to the party ( deontic) That will be the ice-cream van. (epistemic)

The effect of modal verbs on the meaning

By definition every modal verb is different but because of their same morphological and syntactic structure, they might be interpreted either epistemically or deontically in a sentence. For example, the sentence below expresses both epistemic and deontic modality by modal verb 'may':

1. Zayed may climb up the hill. { he is permitted (deontic) / perhaps he will (epistemic)}

Another example:

2. Ayesha must be in school.{she is obliged to be (deontic) / I believe she is (epistemic)}

Not all modal verbs follow all the rules of negation. The negative form 'must not' means 'necessary not' instead of meaning 'not necessary'. Therefore, in the sentence no.2 above, expression showing epistemic modality can not just use 'not' to make the meaning negative. Using 'must not' to negates the sentence no. 2 only works with deontic expression:

2. Ayesha mustn't be in school. {(she is obliged not to be) deontic/ no epistemic modality }

A suppletive negative form has to be used to make the proposition negative:

Ayesha can't be in school. {( I believe she is not) epistemic}

Also in the In the following example normal negation gives out a wrong message:

The child must climb down the stairs. ( There is a necessity for the child to come down the stairs)

The negation should show that there is no necessity for the child to come down the stairs. But adding 'not' do not do that:

The child musn't come down the stairs. (There is a necessity for the child not to come down the stairs)

A suppletive negative form has to be used to make the proposition negative:

The child needn't come down the stairs. ( There is no necessity for the child to come down the stairs)

Another distinction is that 'not' negates deontic 'may' only:

The criminal may be seated.

The criminal may not be seated ( deontic)

In epistemic the verb followed by the modal verb gets negated:

She may want to sell the shop.

She may not want to sell the shop.

' Might' and 'should have' only show past form in epistemic modality. For example:

Extensive reading may work → Extensive reading might work. (epistemic)

They should be there by 5 pm → They should have been there by 5 pm. (epistemic)

Another difference is that, in deontic modality 'may' and 'can' be substituted with each other without changing meaning but not in epistemic modality . For example:

May I come in? (asking permission)

Can I come in? (asking permission)

May I use your bathroom? (asking permission)

Can I use your bathroom? (asking permission)

On the other hand replacing epistemic 'can' by 'may' or vice versa changes the sentence semantically. For example:

I can ride a horse. (ability)

I may ride a horse. ( possibility)

May and must followed by 'have' are always epistemic:

You may have read the new. (possibility)

You must have noticed the sign. (assumption)

When 'must' is used to show an action in the future, modality is almost always deontic. Below are some examples:

They must come tomorrow.

Sawdah must see me next Monday.

Modal verbs are the result of grammaticalization process, a process in which lexical items change their semantic and syntactic features. This process is ongoing and more and more modal verbs are emerging. Modal verbs are very common in conversation and writing. They are very important in communication in English. It is essential for an English language learner to learn and be up-to-date with these modal verbs to communicate effectively.

Bibliography:

Payne, T.E. (2011)Understanding English Grammar CUP

Leech, G (1987) Meaning and the English Verb (2nd edition.) London: Longman

Palmer, F (2001) Mood and Modality (2nd edition.) Cambridge: CUP

Krug, G.M (1966) Emerging English Modals: a corpus based study of grammaticalization

New York : Mouton de Gruyter 2000

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