Modality in Contemporary English

This book offers original theoretical accounts and a wealth of descriptive information concerning modality in present-day 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: (a) the semantics and pragmatics of core modal verbs; (b) the status of emerging modal items; (c) stylistic variation and change; (d) sociolinguistic variation and syntactic models. The book is of considerable value to students and teachers of English and Linguistics at undergraduate and graduate level worldwide.

Auteur

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.

Texte du rabat

The future of English linguistics as envisaged by the editors of Topics in English Linguistics lies in empirical studies, which integrate work in English linguistics into general and theoretical linguistics on the one hand, and comparative linguistics on the other. The TiEL series features volumes that present interesting new data and analyses, and above all fresh approaches that contribute to the overall aim of the series, which is to further outstanding research in English linguistics. For further publications in English linguistics see also our Dialects of English book series. To discuss your book idea or submit a proposal, please contact Natalie Fecher.

Résumé

"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

"The volume is very helpful to faculty and students in linguistics and language teaching, and to anyone who is eager to know why and how speakers use modality to convey their attitude to the truth of proposition. Especially, many of the findings and claims deserve the attention of English teachers."
Xinzhang Yang in: Word, Volume 57, Number 1 (April, 2006)

Contenu
PrefaceRoberta Facchinetti, Manfred Krug, Frank Palmer Modality in English: theoretical, descriptive and typological issuesFrank Palmer The semantics and pragmatics of core modal verbs Irrealis, past time reference and modalityPaul Larreya Modal auxiliary constructions, TAM and interrogativesRichard Matthews A pragmatic analysis of the epistemic would construction in EnglishGregory Ward, Betty J. Birner, Jeffrey P. Kaplan Towards a contextual micro-analysis of the non-equivalence of might and couldStéphane Gresset The status of emerging modal items On two distinct uses of go as a conjoined marker of evaluative modalityPhilippe 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 toHeidi Verplaetse Between epistemic modality and degree: the case of reallyCarita Paradis Stylistic variation and change Modality on the move: the English modal auxiliaries 1961-1992Geoffrey Leech