Overview

This text offers original theoretical accounts and a wealth of descriptive information concerning modality in contemporary English. At the same time, it provides fresh impetus to more general linguistic issues such as grammaticalization, colloquialization, or the interplay between sociolinguistic and syntactic constraints. The articles fall into four sections: the semantics and pragmatics of core modal verbs; the status of emerging modal items; sylistic variation and change; and sociolinguistic variation and syntactic models. The book should be of value to students and teachers of English and linguistics at undergraduate and graduate level.

Full Product Details

Author:   Roberta Facchinetti ,  Frank Palmer ,  Manfred Krug
Publisher:   De Gruyter
Imprint:   De Gruyter Mouton
Volume:   44
Dimensions:   Width: 15.50cm , Height: 2.80cm , Length: 23.00cm
Weight:   0.761kg
ISBN:  

9783110176865

ISBN 10:   3110176866
Pages:   412
Publication Date:   19 June 2003
Recommended Age:   College Graduate Student
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Undergraduate ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Out of stock  
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Table of Contents

Preface Roberta Facchinetti, Manfred Krug, Frank Palmer Modality in English: theoretical, descriptive and typological issues Frank Palmer The semantics and pragmatics of core modal verbs Irrealis, past time reference and modality Paul Larreya Modal auxiliary constructions, TAM and interrogatives Richard Matthews A pragmatic analysis of the epistemic would construction in English Gregory Ward, Betty J. Birner, Jeffrey P. Kaplan Towards a contextual micro-analysis of the non-equivalence of might and could Stéphane Gresset The status of emerging modal items On two distinct uses of go as a conjoined marker of evaluative modality Philippe Bourdin Had better and might as well: on the margins of modality? Keith Mitchell What you and I want: A functional approach to verb complementation of modal want to Heidi Verplaetse Between epistemic modality and degree: the case of really Carita Paradis Stylistic variation and change Modality on the move: the English modal auxiliaries 1961-1992 Geoffrey Leech

Reviews

The book offers a stimulating read, with the papers in sections two and three in particular providing a great deal of thought-provoking material. Martin J. Endley in: Studies in Language 7/2007 This volume is a valuable and representative collection of current approaches to modality in contemporary English. It rewards the reader with fundamental theoretical knowlegde of modal concepts, but also offers profound insight into a wide range of practical applications. Ilse Wischer in: Anglia 3/2006 The volume is worthy of inclusion in any collection of writings on the topic of modality, particularly for those whose interests are concerned with (emerging) modal verbs. Alison Cort in: English Language and Linguistics 2/2004

Author Information

Roberta Facchinetti is Associate Professor at the University of Verona, Italy. Manfred Krug is Associate Professor at the University of Freiburg, Germany. Frank R. Palmer is Professor Emeritus at the University of Reading, UK.

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