German modals in second language acquisition: A constructionist approach

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-30
Author(s):  
Lynn Anthonissen ◽  
Tanja Mortelmans
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
Conditional Inference ◽  
Formulaic Sequences ◽  
Modal Verbs ◽  
Semantic Categories ◽  
Structural Functions ◽  
Modal Verb ◽  
Conditional Inference Trees ◽  
Formal Properties

Abstract Descriptions of modal verbs in learner grammars often evoke quite abstract semantic categories (focusing on dynamic, deontic and epistemic modality) in generalized usage contexts. Yet, in concrete utterances, modal verbs not only serve highly specific pragmatic and discourse-structural functions, but can also be shown to occur in (quasi-)formulaic sequences with specific lexical elements. These more idiosyncratic functional and formal properties are often insufficiently addressed in learner grammars. The article demonstrates, on the basis of two case studies, how insights and methods from Construction Grammar can help to improve the presentation of this topic. More specifically, it elaborates on the key determinants of L2 construction learning (involving frequency, proto-typicality and form-function mapping, among others) and illustrates what statistical techniques such as collostructional analysis and conditional inference trees can reveal about the intricacies involved in learning modal verb constructions.

scholarly journals The Difference Between Modal Verbs in Deontic and Epistemic Modality

Humaniora ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Menik Winiharti
Keyword(s):  
Language Teachers ◽  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
Modal Verbs ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Modal Verb ◽  
Deontic Modality ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Single Proposition

Modality is always interesting to discuss. Understanding it is crucial for both language teachers and learners. This essay discusses the concept of modality, its types and uses. It has a goal to find the difference between deontic and epistemic modality that is indicated by their modal verbs. It also provides the readers a better understanding of modality, particularly of its types and uses. The result of the analysis shows that in general, deontic modality indicates obligation and permission, while epistemic modality expresses possibility and prediction. However, the difference between deontic and epistemic modality is not a clear cut, since one single modal verb can express both types, and one single proposition can be expressed by more than one modal verb.  

On the History of Studying Modal Verbs in the German Language

2020 ◽  
pp. 64-76
Author(s):  
Varvara Leontyeva ◽  
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
Open Cluster ◽  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
German Language ◽  
Modal Verbs ◽  
Early 21St Century ◽  
Open Questions ◽  
Modal Verb ◽  
History Of ◽  
Functional Features

The article is an overview and a summary of the study of modal verbs in the German language in Russian and foreign linguistics, from Antiquity to the present day, in line with the holistic study of modality in world linguistics. Using the methods of generalization and systematization, the author analyzes monographs and articles by Russian and foreign experts in the field of the history of the German language, functional grammar, and morphology. While a considerable number of works by foreign and Russian linguists in the 20th century are devoted to the issues of semantics of preterite-present and modal verbs in specific historical periods of the development of the German language, there are still many open questions in this area. Throughout almost the entire 20th century, Germanists viewed modal verbs mainly as a means of expressing internal modality, i.e., the attitude of the speaker to the action being performed. However, in the late 20th and early 21st century, they began to actively study the subjective use of modal verbs. Much modern literature on the subject is devoted to the study of German modal verbs in the function of subjective (epistemic) modality. This article focuses on etymological, semantic, grammatical, and functional features of modal verbs in modern German and discusses a number of controversial issues, such as the question of whether modal verbs are a closed or open cluster of vocabulary, that is, whether it is possible, at the present stage of language history, to include other linguistic units into the category of modal units, it these other units answer certain semantic or grammatical criteria. It is also open to discussion whether there is a one-to-one corre-spondence between a modal verb and the type of modal relations that is expressed with the help of this verb in speech, and vice versa. The author highlights such significant aspects as grammaticalization of modal verbs, correlation of modal verbs with various types of modal relations, primary and secondary meanings of modal verbs, characteristics of the preterito-presentia, compatibility of modal verbs, and syntactic features of their usage. The relevance of this study lies in the fact that it gives a more comprehensive understanding of functions and pragmatics of modal verbs as a special lexical cluster in speech.

scholarly journals Eesti modaalverbi pidama episteemilistest kasutustest võrdluses prantsuse verbiga devoir

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anu Treikelder
Keyword(s):  
High Probability ◽  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
Formal Aspect ◽  
Modal Verbs ◽  
Modal Verb ◽  
Low Probability ◽  
State Of Affairs ◽  
Very High ◽  
General Translation ◽  
Negative Form

Kokkuvõte. Artiklis vaadeldakse eesti keele modaalverbi pidama episteemilisi kasutusi võrdluses prantsuse keele modaalverbiga devoir. Episteemiliste kasutuste all on mõeldud juhtumeid, kus pidama ja devoir väljendavad kõneleja hinnangut kirjeldatud situatsiooni toimumise tõenäosusastme kohta. Analüüs tugineb tõlkekorpuse näidetele, milles pidama esineb nii originaal- kui ka tõlketekstides. Tõlkevastete analüüs näitab, et eesti verbi pidama kasutatakse prantsuse verbi devoir vastena episteemilises tähenduses tunduvalt harvemini kui vastupidi. Artikli eesmärk on välja selgitada selle ebasümmeetria põhjused ning tuua välja eesti verbi pidama episteemilise kasutusvälja eripärad võrreldes prantsuse analoogi ja sõnaraamatuvastega. Näidete analüüsi põhjal võib järeldada, et eesti keele verbil pidama on võrreldes verbiga devoir kitsam ulatus episteemilise hinnangu tugevuse skaalal. Verbi devoir indikatiivivormid on palju laiemalt kasutusel situatsiooni suhteliselt madala tõenäosuse väljendamisel. Verbi devoir vorm saab väljendada lisaks situatsiooni ajale ka eitust või situatsiooni aspektilisi omadusi, samas kui verbil pidama on episteemilises kasutuses piiratud vormistik. Tulemused näitavad, et verbide pidama ja devoir evidentsiaalsed omadused on sarnased ning neid ei saa vaadelda korrelatsioonis modaaltähendusega: episteemilise hinnangu tugevus ei sõltu otseselt infoallika subjektiivsusastmest või järelduse muudest omadustest.Abstract. Anu Treikelder: The epistemic use of the Estonian modal pidama in comparison with the French modal devoir. This article examines the epistemic uses of the Estonian modal verb pidama in comparison with the same type of verb devoir in French. The analysis is based on samples from a parallel corpus of translations in which pidama occurs both in originals and in translations. The general translation data reveal that the Estonian pidama is used as the equivalent of the French verb devoir less often than vice versa. The aim of this article is to find out the reasons of this asymmetry and to point out the peculiarities of the epistemic usage of pidama compared to its French counterpart. The findings of the corpus reveal some differences in the formal aspect of the two verbs: the epistemic devoir can express besides the time of the situation also aspect and it can occur in the negative form. The Estonian verb pidama has a more restricted paradigm in its epistemic uses. More importantly, the results of the study suggest that variations in translation are not merely due to the preferences of translators but that they reveal also differences in the epistemic meaning of these two verbs. The French modal devoir seems to offer a wider range of epistemic uses than its Estonian counterpart: it allows expressing different degrees of likelihood of a state of affairs on the scale from high to rather low probability, while Estonian pidama stays closer to the pole of (very) high probability. On the other hand, the evidential properties, concerning the source and the nature of the inference conveyed by the epistemic meaning of these two verbs, seem to be rather similar. This result seems to prove that epistemic and evidential categories are not directly correlated in the meaning of modal verbs: the strength of the epistemic evaluation does not depend on the reliability of the source of information.Keywords: modal verbs; epistemic modality; evidentiality; Estonian; French

Italian children's understanding of the epistemic and deontic modal verbs dovere (must) and potere (may)

2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
ELISABETTA BASCELLI ◽  
MARIA SILVIA BARBIERI
Keyword(s):  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
The Other ◽  
Dual Function ◽  
Full Understanding ◽  
Modal Verbs ◽  
Epistemic Modal ◽  
Single Sentence ◽  
Modal Verb ◽  
Deontic Modality

This study assesses children's understanding of the Italian modal verbs dovere (must) and potere (may) in their dual function of qualification of the speaker's beliefs (epistemic modality) and behaviour regulation (deontic modality). 192 children and 60 adults participated in the experiment. Children aged 3;0 to 9;2 were presented with two tasks: one assessed their understanding of modal expressions in the epistemic domain – looking for an object by following the information contained in a sentence; the other assessed their understanding of modal expressions in the deontic domain – acting according to obligations, permissions and prohibitions in the context of a game. Half of the subjects carried out the tasks in a single-sentence format and half carried out the tasks in a double-sentence format. In the single-sentence format the subjects had to follow the directions supplied by a modalized sentence; in the double-sentence format they had to follow the directions supplied by the sentence containing the stronger modal verb. Our results show that the understanding of deontic modal forms precedes the understanding of epistemic modal forms and that a full understanding of the strength of different modal forms is achieved only at eight years.

scholarly journals Võimalikkus hispaania keele modaalverbi poder ja eesti keele modaalverbide semantikas. Tõlkevastete analüüs

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-158
Author(s):  
Triin Lõbus
Keyword(s):  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
Literary Texts ◽  
Semantic Ambiguity ◽  
Contrastive Analysis ◽  
Modal Verbs ◽  
Subjective Judgement ◽  
Modal Verb ◽  
Situational Meaning ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Continuum

Kokkuvõte. Artiklis uuritakse episteemilist modaalsust hispaania ja eesti keele võimalikkusmodaalverbide semantikas. Võrdlus lähtub hispaania keele modaalverbist poder, vaadeldes selle episteemilise kasutuse tõlkevasteid ilukirjandusteostes. Analüüsi aluseks on episteemilise modaalsuse tähendusala täpsem määratlemine. Prototüüpset kõnelejakeskset (subjektiivset) võimalikkushinnangut eristatakse objektiivsest situatsioonilisest võimalikkusest, mis on episteemilise/mitte-episteemilise modaalsuse piiripealne vaheaste. See eristus võimaldab modaalverbide tähendusalasid paremini eritleda ja omavahel kontrastiivses vaates suhestada, kirjeldada episteemilise võimalikkuse semantikat modaaltähenduste kontiinumi skaalal selle olemuslikus seoses mitte-episteemiliste tähendusvaldkondadega ning vaadelda modaalverbe neile omase mitmetähenduslikkuse perspektiivist. Prototüüpne episteemiline tähendus esineb nii poder’i kui ka võima semantikas sulamina koos objektiivse situatsioonilise tähendusega ning näib analüüsitud materjali põhjal olevat viimase kõrval nõrgem tähendus. Samas näib subjektiivsel hinnangulisusel olevat võima semantikas suurem roll kui poder’i puhul. Saama semantikas panen prototüüpse episteemilise tähenduse kahtluse alla; saama näib ühemõtteliselt väljendavat objektiivset situatsioonilist võimalikkust. Pakun välja, et objektiivsus määratleb saama semantikat ka laiemas modaaltähenduste skaalas: võimalikkust ei väljendata tegevusosalise agentiivsuse (või kõneleja subjektiivsuse) keskselt – nagu võima puhul –, vaid situatsiooni asjaolude perspektiivist.Abstract. Triin Lõbus: Possibility in the semantics of the Spanish modal verb poder and the Estonian modal verbs saama and võima. Analysis of translation equivalents. This article deals with epistemic modality in the semantics of the modal verbs of possibility in Spanish and Estonian. The contrastive analysis is centred on the Spanish modal verb poder in its epistemic use and explores the translation equivalences appearing in a corpus of literary texts. The analysis is based on a narrower definition of the semantic domain of epistemic modality. The prototypical speaker-oriented (subjective) modality judgement is differentiated from the objective situational possibility, the last one being a border case between the areas of epistemic and nonepistemic modality. This distinction makes it possible to better differentiate between different meaning areas of the modal verbs and to establish their relationships to each other in a contrastive perspective, to describe the semantics of the epistemic possibility along the continuum of modal meanings in its inherent connection with non-epistemic meaning areas, and to observe the modal verbs from the perspective of the semantic ambiguity characteristic of them. In the semantics of poder as well as of võima, prototypical epistemic meaning merges with the objective situational meaning and, according to the material analysed here, seems to be the less prominent of the two meanings. At the same time, the meaning of a subjective judgement seems to have a more important part in the semantics of võima compared to that of poder. As for saama, the prototypical epistemic meaning is called into question here: saama seems to unequivocally express objective situational possibility. The article suggests that objectivity is what also defines the semantics of saama in a wider range of modal meanings: in case of saama possibility is not expressed as participant’s agentivity (or speaker’s subjectivity) oriented but as conceptualized from the perspective of situational circumstances.Keywords: epistemic modality; possibility; subjectivity; modal verbs; Estonian, Spanish

scholarly journals Processing epistemic modality in a second language: a self-paced reading study

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia Mifka-Profozic
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
The Other ◽  
Modal Verbs ◽  
Auxiliary Verbs ◽  
Online Processing ◽  
Modal Semantics ◽  
Reading Study

AbstractThe current study brings together two novel perspectives: one is concerned with second language acquisition of complex modal semantics by learners of a Slavic (Croatian) language, and the other relates to online processing of modal auxiliary verbs in L2 English. The study sought to examine how English L2 learners process modal verbs

scholarly journals VERB “CAN” IN ENGLISH MEDIA-TEXT OF POLITICAL SUBJECT MATTER: MODAL SEMANTICS AND MEANS OF ITS EXPRESSION

2020 ◽  
pp. 91-97
Author(s):  
Yuliya Vladimirovna Karaulshchikova
Keyword(s):  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
Passive Voice ◽  
Modal Verbs ◽  
Lexical Meaning ◽  
Modal Verb ◽  
Degree Of Certainty ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Modal Semantics ◽  
The One ◽  
Theoretical Conceptualization

The paper focuses on syntagms with the modal verb “can” related to the semantics expressed based on the English political discourse. The results of the survey of theoretical literature devoted to modal verbs semantics are demonstrated. The basic characteristic of modal verbs is their transitional position between meaningful and functional verbs. The ability of modal verbs to express possibility, necessity and obligation, on the one hand, and the degree of certainty, on the other, is noted. In this respect theoretical conceptualization of two types of a modal verb realization in the text of a certain functional style seems to be important. The suggested solution is to turn to two dichotomies concerning substantial and formal aspects of modal verbs: aletic and epistemic modality, and lexical and lexical-syntactic type of realization. The unit of the analysis is a modal syntagm. The parameters of modal semantics differentiation are the subject of the utterance and the means of its expression, syntactic content of the predicate, morphological categories of declaration and question, statement and negation, voice. Analysis of the verb “can” realization in the editorial media texts highlights the minor degree of lexical meaning diminuation which denotes the lack of distinct borders between two types of modal semantics. For the verb’s realization of the epistemic semantics the tendency for qualification, passive voice forms, lack of marked forms of negation, aspect and temporary correlation. In the majority of lexical-syntactic syntagms the subject denotes abstract notions, has a complicated structure and contributes to the highlighting of a modal verb; nomination of a real agent is connected with colligational restrictions. The conclusions specify (and in some cases refute) information in standard grammar manuals.

Grammaticalization of Modality in Language Acquisition

1999 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 377-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Giacalone Ramat
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Linguistic Theory ◽  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
Modal Verbs

The present study aims to provide empirical evidence for a number of claims concerning the grammaticalization of deontic and epistemic modality. It is based on results from a research project on the acquisition of Italian as a second language conventionally called the "Pavia Project". The organization is as follows: first, the relevance of Second Language Acquisition for linguistic theory and — conversely — the relevance of linguistic theory for interpreting results of empirical studies are advocated. Then a theoretical framework is established and the polysemy of modal verbs is presented as an essential issue to the present study. In Section 5 information on research design and subjects is provided and results are discussed. The focus is on the order of emergence of modal distinctions in learner varieties and the types of encoding of modal notions preferred by learners. It will be shown that deontic modality is straightforwardly expressed through modal verbs, while epistemic modality is expressed through a number of different means. Conclusions are drawn, and implications for the study of modality and for principles governing learner languages are assessed.

STRATEGIES OF MODALITY CHOICE OF UTTERANCES IN GERMAN CULTURE

2021 ◽  
pp. 89-100
Author(s):  
O.A. Kostrova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
Communication Style ◽  
Linguistic Identity ◽  
German Culture ◽  
Modal Verbs ◽  
Modal Verb ◽  
German Speaking ◽  
Modern Fiction ◽  
Basic Concepts ◽  
Crossing Point

In the paper the author explores possibilities of how basic concepts of German culture can influence the speech activity of the speaker. The research is done on the crossing point of grammar, theory of communication and linguistic conceptology. The paper deals with German modal verbs functioning in modern fiction texts. The author discusses the problem of modality choice by the speaking personality producing the utterance. The research aims at revealing correspondences between the grammar system of German modal verbs in their functioning and German speaking personality who encodes his/her choice influenced by basic concepts of German low context culture, namely INDIVIDUALISM, ORDER and RESPONSIBILITY. The correlation takes into account the transparency of strong German modal verb system and direct communication style of German speaking personality who chooses in this case an overt modal strategy. The other strategy type is the softening one. The personality mitigates his/her utterance taking into consideration the personality of the partner. Overt strategy is used for encoding deontic modality and softening strategy denotes epistemic modality and some others cases. The findings open access for understanding German linguistic identity.

Exploring the motivational antecedents of Nepalese learners of L2 English

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 379-418
Author(s):  
Karsten Schmidtke-Bode ◽  
Gregor Kachel
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Attitudes ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Conditional Inference ◽  
Asian Populations ◽  
Motivated Behavior ◽  
Age Related ◽  
L2 Motivational Self System ◽  
Conditional Inference Trees

AbstractThis paper is the first to examine the motivational disposition of Nepalese learners of L2 English. Based on an adapted version of the questionnaire in (Kormos, Judit & Kata Csizér. 2008. Age-related differences in motivation of learning English as a foreign language: Attitudes, selves, and motivated behavior. Language Learning 58. 327–355. Doi:10.1111/j.1467-9922.2008.00443.x.), we test the robustness and culture-specific applicability of well-known motivational antecedents to this learner population, and we investigate how the effects of these antecedents are mediated by the learners’ gender, age and regional aspects of the educational setting. In doing so, we offer novel ways of analyzing the data: Firstly, we employ random forests and conditional inference trees for assessing the relative importance of motivational antecedents. Secondly, we complement the traditional ‘scale-based approach’, which focuses on holistic constructs like the ‘Ideal L2 Self’, with an ‘item-based approach’ that highlights more specific components of such scales. The results are interpreted with reference to the L2 Motivational Self System (Dörnyei, Zoltán. 2005. The psychology of the language learner: Individual differences in second language acquisition. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum) and to previous studies on other Asian populations of L2 learners.

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