Modality in discourse

Task 2. Identify the type of modality

Task 2. Identify the type of modality

1.Newton’s First Law by saying that an object cannot depart from uniform rectilinear motion unless acted on by an external force.

2.Nothing can move faster than light.

3. John may be in his office.

4. Mary could be at school by now.

5. You can go when you've finished.

6. He can speak perfect French.

EPISTEMIC/ DEONTIC/AMBIGUOUS?????????

EPISTEMIC/ DEONTIC/AMBIGUOUS?????????

a.I must be getting sick.

b.You may be pregnant.

c.Nitric acid will dissolve zinc.

d.John must leave now.

e.He can miss the class.

f.You could clean your room.

g.He must have passed the examination.

h.You might have fallen,

i.Cocktail parties can be boring.

j.She could be discouraged.

k.I will marry her.

l.You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

m.You can’t be serious.

n.Harris has to retire next year.

o.He might try a bit harder to pass the course.

p.She can be very obstinate.

q.Guests may not use their cellular phones in the restaurant.

r.Only experts can advance to the next stage of the competition.

s.She must be careful with her money.

t.Grant is in New York now, I guess.

u.The movie shouldn’t be violent.

v.The revised paper could be better.

w.My uncle can wiggle his ears.

DYNAMIC MODALITY

• The word dynamic derives from the Greek dynamikos meaning strong or powerful. In English it has been defined as:
• having a lot of ideas and enthusiasm; energetic and forceful (Cambridge International Dictionary of English, 1995:434)
• Linguistically, we need to be a bit more exact and define this form of modality as that which expresses ability or requirement of the subject to do something. It is non-subjective insofar as it refers to fact rather than likelihood or obligation (which are expressed via epistemic and deontic modality respectively).