Items related to Mood and Modality (Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics)

Mood and Modality (Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics) - Softcover

Palmer, F. R.

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9780521319300: Mood and Modality (Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics)
Softcover
ISBN 10: 0521319307 ISBN 13: 9780521319300
Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1986

Synopsis

'Mood' (subjunctive, etc.) and 'modality' (can, may, must, etc.) are familiar terms in linguistics, but this is the first book to present a systematic and principled description, across a wide variety of languages, of what can be considered a single grammatical category. The notion of modality is notoriously vague and a number of definitions have been proposed, encompassing the attitude or opinion of the speaker, speech acts, subjectivity, non-factivity, non-assertion, possibility and necessity. Often such definitions have been language-specific. By examining data (including data on evidentials) from many different languages - native American and Australian languages, for example, as well as Latin, Greek, English and others - F. R. Palmer is able to compare and contrast the ways in which modality is grammaticalized, its various functions, and its relation to other grammatical categories. From this typological approach arise cross-linguistic generalisations and theoretical conclusions that will interest the specialist as much as the advanced student. Written with F. R. Palmer's characteristic clarity and attention to detail, Mood and modality is a major contribution to our understanding of a basic topic in language studies.

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Book Description

Since the publication of F. R. Palmer's Mood and Modality in 1986, when the topic of 'modality' was fairly unfamiliar, there has been considerable interest in the subject as well as in grammatical typology in general. Modality is concerned with mood (subjunctive etc.) and with modal markers such as English modal verbs (can, may, must etc.) and is treated as a single grammatical category found in most of the languages of the world. Palmer investigates this category, drawing on a wealth of examples from a wide variety of languages.

Review

'These are complex areas ... and as a basic guide to the problems and the terminology in the field this is a valuable book.' Raphael Salkie, MLR

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Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Publication date
1986
Language
English
ISBN 10 
0521319307
ISBN 13 
9780521319300
Binding
Paperback
Edition number
1
Number of pages
256
Rating
  • 4.07 out of 5 stars
    45 ratings by Goodreads