On modality in Georgian sign language (GESL)

Modality is one of the most fascinating and complex areas of language studies. This paper illustrates the types of modal constructions in Georgian Sign language (GESL), including negative forms. GESL shows modality semantics with a combination of manual and facial signs. Modals in GESL can occur in the pre-verbal, clause-final, or clause-initial positions, as in many other sign languages (SLs). GESL modal constructions show the specific tense-related negation strategy. Modal constructions in this language often use combinations of modal signs with an equal value

Maximality and minimality in comparatives

In this paper, I investigate more closely the contribution of modal operators to the semantics of comparatives and I show that there is no need for a maximality or minimality operator. Following Kratzer s (1981, 1991) analysis of modal elements, I assume that the meaning of a modal sentence is dependent on a conversational background and an ordering source. For comparative environments, I demonstrate that the ordering source reduces a set of possible degrees to a single degree that is most (or least) wanted or expected, i.e., maximality and minimality readings of comparative constructions are an effect of the pragmatic meaning of the modal

On object specificity

[W]e have demonstrated that the object specificity follows from the same principle as the subject specificity under the EMH. Furthermore, the semantic discrepancy between the realis and irrealis object shift constructions turns out to be a subcase of the more general indicative-modal asymmetry. Although our analysis presented here is nothing but conclusive, it does suggest that the EMH is a potent candidate for explaining the indicative-modal asymmetry, as well as for building a general theory of the specificity effects in question

Between the historical languages and the reconstructed language : an alternative approach to the Gerundive + “Dative of Agent” construction in Indo-European

It is argued by Hettrich (1990) that the “dative of agent” construction in the Indo-European languages most likely continues a construction inherited from Proto-Indo-European. In two recent proposals (Danesi 2013, Luraghi 2016), it is argued that the “dative of agent” contains no agent at all, although the two proposals differ with regard to the reconstructability of the “dative of agent” construction. Luraghi argues that it is an independent secondary development from an original beneficiary function (cf. Hettrich 1990), while Danesi maintains that the construction is reconstructable for an earlier proto-stage. Elaborating on Danesi’s approach, we analyze gerundives with the “dative of agent” in six different Indo-European languages that bridge the east–west divide, namely, Sanskrit, Avestan, Ancient Greek, Latin, Tocharian, and Lithuanian. Scrutiny of the data reveals similarities at a morphosyntactic level, a semantic level (i.e. modal meaning and low degree of transitivity), and also, to some extent, at an etymological level. An analysis involving a modal reading of the predicate, with a dative subject and a nominative object, is better equipped to account for the particulars of the “gerundive + nominative + dative” construction than the traditional agentive/passive analysis. The proposal is couched within the theoretical framework of Construction Grammar, in which the basic unit of language is the Construction, i.e. a form–function correspondence, and no principled distinction between lexical items and complex syntactic structures is assumed. As these structures are by definition units of comparanda, required by the Comparative Method, they can be successfully utilized in the reconstruction of a proto-construction for Proto-Indo-European

What is the ‘Future’ of Greek? Towards a Pragmatic Analysis

The paper investigates the problems related to futurity and modality in modern Greek. The discussion of Greek temporal future expressions is conducted with reference to relevant literature from the areas of English linguistics, cognitive studies and pragmatics. The focus is on the status of future-oriented expressions and the question whether they are primarily epistemic in nature, whether they are tense-based, or modality-based. It is argued that the future tense in Greek has a modal semantic base conveying epistemic modality and that the preferred future prospective reading is a pragmatic development of the semantic modal base. The author further suggests that the future reading is a kind of presumptive meaning which follows from the neo-Gricean Principle of Informativeness, known as the I-principle (Levinson 2000) being a generalised interpretation which does not depend on contextual information

MEANINGS OF MODALVERBEN CONSTRUCTIONS IN GERMAN SENTENCES AND THEIR EQUIVALENCES IN INDONESIAN

This study aims to describe: (1) Modalverben constructions in German sentences, (2) meanings of Modalverben in German sentences, and (3) equivalences of Modalverben in German sentences in Indonesian. This was a qualitative descriptive study. The objects of the research data were lingual units of modality constructions with objective and subjective meanings in both German phrases and sentences. The subjects of the data were modal verbs in German sentences. The data sources were the magazine NADI Indonesia Deutsch 2012 and 2013. The data were collected by means of reading and noting techniques and analyzed by means of the translational, equivalent, and distributional techniques. The data validity was assessed through the semantic validity and the inter-rater and intra-rater techniques. The research findings are as follows. (1) the objektive Modalverben construction in German is S - Inf+Modalverb and the subjektive Modalverben construction is S+Inf – Modalverb. (2) Meanings of objektive Modalverben are those which are loose in nature because because lexical elements of modality can reveal utterance contents while meanings of subjektive Modalverben are those outside lexical elements because they are affected by speakers’ subjective intentions. (3) The equivalences of objektive und subjektive Modalverben in German sentences in Indonesian are in the form Modalverb können appearing 107 times, equivalent to meanings of dapat, bisa, ada, menjadi, berhasil, mampu, meraih, terdiri, sungguh, and makna zero. Modalverb dürfen (8) are equivalent to meanings of dapat, boleh, and makna zero. Modalverb sollen (27) are equivalent to meanings of harus, akan, bisa, seharusnya, perlu, dan makna zero. Modalverb wollen (3) are equivalent to meanings of ingin, terus terang, and makna zero. Modalverb müssen (31) are equivalent to meanings of harus, dapat, bisa, and makna zero. Modalverb möchten (16) are equivalent to meanings of ingin, berminat, perlu, and makna zero

Predication at the interface

We try to show that predication plays a greater role in syntax than commonly assumed. Specifically, we wil argue that predication to a large extent determines both the phrase structure of clauses and trigger syntactic processes that take place in clauses. If we are on the right path, this implies that syntax is basically semantically driven, given that predication is semantically construed

From conditionality to modality in Luganda (Bantu, JE15) : a synchronic and diachronic corpus analysis of the verbal prefix -andi-

This article offers a synchronic and diachronic analysis of the use and meaning of the verbal prefix-andi-in the Great Lakes Bantu language Luganda (JE15). On the basis of a text corpus of 4 million tokens, we show that the prefix, commonly described as a conditional marker, is primarily involved in the expression of modal meanings, specifically deontic necessity and epistemic possibility. Our thirteen-decade diachronic corpus analysis shows that there is a relationship between the increased use of-andi-outside syntactically complex conditional constructions, i.e. those having both a protasis and an apodosis, and an increase in its expression of modal meanings. Moreover, a reduction in the use of-andiin complex conditional constructions goes hand in hand with a reduction in its expression of conditional meanings. It is further revealed that contrary to the common cross-linguistic tendency to rely on modality as a source for conditionality, the conditional meaning of-andi-is not post-modal. Instead it was primarily a conditional marker, which subsequently developed different modal meanings. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved