Modality in Contemporary English (Topics in English Linguistics [TiEL] Book 44)

This book offers original theoretical accounts and a wealth of descriptive information concerning modality in present-day English. At the same time, it provides fresh impetus to more general linguistic issues such as grammaticalization, colloquialization, or the interplay between sociolinguistic and syntactic constraints. The articles fall into four sections: (a) the semantics and pragmatics of core modal verbs; (b) the status of emerging modal items; (c) stylistic variation and change; (d) sociolinguistic variation and syntactic models. The book is of considerable value to students and teachers of English and Linguistics at undergraduate and graduate level worldwide. Preface Contents Modality in English: Theoretical, descriptive and typological issues The semantics and pragmatics of core modal verbs Irrealis, past time reference and modality Modal auxiliary constructions, ΤΑΜ and interrogatives A pragmatic analysis of the epistemic would construction in English Towards a contextual micro-analysis of the nonequivalence of might and could The status of emerging modal items On two distinct uses of go as a conjoined marker of evaluative modality Had better and might as well·. On the margins of modality? What you and I want: A functional approach to verb complementation of modal WANT TO Between epistemic modality and degree: The case of really Modality on the move: The English modal auxiliaries 1961-1992 Changes in the modals and semi-modals of strong obligation and epistemic necessity in recent British English Shall and will in contemporary English: A comparison with past uses Pragmatic and sociological constraints on the functions of may in contemporary British English Sociolinguistic variation and syntactic models The role of epistemic modality in women’s talk Double modals in the southern United States: Syntactic structure or syntactic structures? Modal verbs in Tyneside English: Evidence for (socio)linguistic theory Subject index Review text: "The book offers a stimulating read, with the papers in sections two and three in particular providing a great deal of thought-provoking material."Martin J. Endley in: Studies in Language 7/2007 "This volume is a valuable and representative collection of current approaches to modality in contemporary English. It rewards the reader with fundamental theoretical knowlegde of modal concepts, but also offers profound insight into a wide range of practical applications."Ilse Wischer in: Anglia 3/2006 "The volume is worthy of inclusion in any collection of writings on the topic of modality, particularly for those whose interests are concerned with (emerging) modal verbs."Alison Cort in: English Language and Linguistics 2/2004 "The volume is very helpful to faculty and students in linguistics and language teaching, and to anyone who is eager to know why and how speakers use modality to convey their attitude to the truth of proposition. Especially, many of the findings and claims deserve the attention of English teachers."Xinzhang Yang in: Word, Volume 57, Number 1 (April, 2006)

The future of English linguistics as envisaged by the editors of Topics in English Linguistics lies in empirical studies, which integrate work in English linguistics into general and theoretical linguistics on the one hand, and comparative linguistics on the other. The TiEL series features volumes that present interesting new data and analyses, and above all fresh approaches that contribute to the overall aim of the series, which is to further outstanding research in English linguistics.

For further publications in English linguistics see also our Dialects of English book series.

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This text offers original theoretical accounts and a wealth of descriptive information concerning modality in contemporary English. At the same time, it provides fresh impetus to more general linguistic issues such as grammaticalization, colloquialization, or the interplay between sociolinguistic and syntactic constraints. The articles fall into four sections: the semantics and pragmatics of core modal verbs; the status of emerging modal items; sylistic variation and change; and sociolinguistic variation and syntactic models. The book should be of value to students and teachers of English and linguistics at undergraduate and graduate level Edited By Roberta Facchinetti, Manfred Krug, Frank Palmer. Includes Bibliographical References.