Grammar II, UNIT 6

En este episodio vamos a estar hablando sobre MOOD and MODALITY (Unit 6). Los temas que veremos son: language as an interaction, the system of mood, functional constituents of the mood component of the clause, modality, epistemic vs non epistemic modality DEFINICIONES ÚTILES: SPEECH ROLES: to establish a relationship between ourselves and our interlocutor, we take up different roles in the exchange. SYSTEM OF MOOD: it belongs to the interpersonal metafunction of language and is the grammatical resource for realising interactions. SPEACH FUNCTIONS: Giving information (statement; declarative) Giving goods and services (offer; various moods) Demanding information (question; interrogative) Demanding goods and services (command; imperative) CONGRUENT REALISATION: each major mood is associated with the realisation of the 4 speech functions. METAPHORICAL OR INDIRECT SPEECH ACT: when these grammatical realisations are realised by means of other mood structures which are not the typical ones FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENTS OF THE MOOD COMPONENT OF THE CLAUSE: Subject Finite (temporal finite verbal operator: it gives tense to the finite; finite modal operators: express the speaker's judgement of how likely or unlikely sth is) MODALITY: the different ways in which a speaker can intrude on his/her message, expressing attitudes and judgements of various kinds. Epistemic modality (likelihood) Non-epistemic (*) *Non- epistemic modality: Requirement (high = obligation, prohibition, necessity; mid= advice; low= permission or lack of necessity Inclination (high = determination; mid= intention; low = willingness) Frequency Ability/Possibility (internal skills = ability; external circumstances= potentiality) HIGH requirement linguistic expressions: must, must not, can not, wil, will not (modal aux); have got, need (semi modal); is supposed/requested, are allowed to (modal verb) MID requirement linguistic expressions: should [not], ought [not] to (modal aux); require (modal verb); it is advisable/recommended/convenient (attributive clauses) LOW requirement linguistic expressions: can, may [not], might [not], could (modal aux); need not (semi modal), allow (modal verb)