Is it worth measuring modal force? If it is, how?

Authors

  • Nóra Kugler Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem, Magyar Nyelvtudományi és Finnugor Intézet, Mai Magyar Nyelvi Tanszék

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18349/MagyarNyelv.2020.4.429

Keywords:

epistemic-inferential (epistatic) modality, modal force, schematization, type vs. instance

Abstract

Based on a questionnaire study on three Hungarian modal adverbs (talán ‘perhaps’, valószínuleg ‘probably’, vélhetoleg ‘presumably’), the paper argues for the necessity of investigating modal force, and for interpreting it from a functional perspective. Modal force is a context-dependent phenomenon, with broad variation at the level of tokens. Still, at the schema level, it is possible to establish typical schematic contexts and associated characteristic modal forces. The paper offers an empirical methodology for exploring such schemas.

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Published

2020-12-30

Issue

Section

Tanulmányok