Modality (Grammar and
Semantics)
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By
Richard Nordquist
Updated on August 12, 2018
In grammar and semantics, modality refers to linguistic devices
that indicate the degree to which an observation is possible,
probable, likely, certain, permitted, or prohibited. In English,
these notions are commonly (though not exclusively) expressed
by modal auxiliaries, such as can, might, should, and will. They
are sometimes combined with not.
Martin J. Endley suggests that "the simplest way to
explain modality is to say that it has to do with the stance the
speaker adopts toward some situation expressed in
an utterance...[M]odality reflects the speaker's attitude toward
the situation being described" ("Linguistic Perspectives on
English Grammar," 2010).
Deborah Cameron illustrates with an example:
"[Modality] is what makes the difference between a factual
assertion like unicorns never existed, and a more guarded view,
such as it seems unlikely that unicorns could ever have existed—or
a bolder claim like the existence of unicorns must always have
been a myth. Modality, then, is a resource speakers and writers
use when they are staking claims to knowledge: it allows them
to formulate different kinds of claims (e.g., assertions, opinions,
hypotheses, speculations) and indicate how committed they are
to those claims." ("The Teacher's Guide to Grammar," Oxford
University Press, 2007)
Indicating Modality Grammatically
Just as tense indicates a time aspect of a verb, words that are
used to show modality indicate the mood of the sentence—that
is, how factual or assertive the statement is—and it can be done
in any number of ways, including with adjectives. Martin J.
Endley in "Linguistic Perspectives on English
Grammar" explains:
"Thus, a situation might be described as possible, probable,
necessary, or certain. The noun counterparts of these adjectives
also express modality so that a situation can be described as
a possibility, a probability, a necessity, or a certainty. Moreover, it
is possible to use ordinary lexical verbs to convey modality....And
think about the difference between saying that
you know something and saying that you believe something.
Such differences are essentially a matter of modality. Finally,
English also contains certain semi-fixed lexical phrases
(e.g., rumor has it) that are, basically, modal expressions." (IAP,
2010)
Other terms that express modality are marginal modals, such
as need, ought to, dare, or used to.
In Depth: Types of Modality
The range of possibilities expressed when using modality is a
broad spectrum, ranging from not very likely to very likely; to
express these different levels, modality comes with named
gradations, as explained by authors Günter Radden and René
Dirven, in "Cognitive English Grammar":
"Modality is concerned with the speaker's assessment of, or
attitude towards, the potentiality of a state of affairs. Modality,
therefore, relates to different worlds. Assessments of
potentiality, as in You must be right, relate to the world of
knowledge and reasoning. This type of modality is known
as epistemic modality. Modal attitudes apply to the world of
things and social interaction. This type of modality is known
as root modality. Root modality comprises three subtypes:
deontic modality, intrinsic modality and disposition
modality. Deontic modality is concerned with the speaker's
directive attitude towards an action to be carried out, as in the
obligation You must go now. Intrinsic modality is concerned with
potentialities arising from intrinsic qualities of a thing or
circumstances, as in The meeting can be canceled, i.e. 'it is
possible for the meeting to be canceled.' Disposition modality is
concerned with a thing's or a person's intrinsic potential of
being actualised; in particular abilities. Thus, when you have
the ability to play the guitar you will potentially do so....Modal
verbs have a special status among modal expressions: they
ground a situation in potential reality." (John Benjamins, 2007)
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