VILNIUS UNIVERSITY UGNIUS MIKUČIONIS MODALITY AND THE NORWEGIAN MODAL VERBS Doctoral dissertation Humanities, Philology (04 H) Vilnius, 2012 The research was carried out at Vilnius University in 2002–2012 Research supervisor: Prof. Dr. Tomas Riad (Stockholm University, Sweden, Humanities, Philology – 04 H) VILNIAUS UNIVERSITETAS UGNIUS MIKUČIONIS MODALUMAS IR NORVEGŲ KALBOS MODALINIAI VEIKSMAŢODŢIAI Daktaro disertacija Humanitariniai mokslai, filologija (04 H) Vilnius, 2012 Disertacija rengta Vilniaus universitete 2002–2012 metais Mokslinis vadovas: Prof. Dr. Tomas Riad (Stokholmo universitetas, Švedija, humanitariniai mokslai, filologija – 04 H) Contents Modality and the Norwegian modal verbs ....................................................................................... 7 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 7 1.1 The aims and the tasks of the dissertation ............................................................................ 10 1.2 The method .............................................................................................................................................. 11 1.3 Disposition ................................................................................................................................................ 12 2. Presentation of my model ........................................................................................................... 14 2.1 Terminology............................................................................................................................................. 14 2.2 Non-epistemic modality .................................................................................................................... 21 2.2.1 Dynamic modality ................................................................................................................................... 28 2.3 Epistemic modality .............................................................................................................................. 33 2.4 The relationship between modality and evidentiality .................................................... 36 2.5 Summing up ............................................................................................................................................. 40 2.6 Predictions that follow from my model ................................................................................... 42 2.6.1 Interaction between negation and attitude ............................................................................................ 42 2.6.2 Two (or more) attitudes expressed in one utterance ...................................................................... 44 2.6.3 The expression of complex attitude ............................................................................................................. 46 2.6.4 Expectations about semantic development ............................................................................................ 48 3. Comparison with earlier models ............................................................................................. 50 3.1 Agent-oriented, speaker-oriented, epistemic and subordinating modality ........ 50 3.2 Epistemic, participant-internal, participant-external and deontic modality ... 53 3.3 Event modality vs. propositional modality ............................................................................ 58 3.4 Root (dynamic and deontic) vs. non-root (epistemic, metaphysical and evidential) .............................................................................. 63 4. Non-epistemic modality in Norwegian ................................................................................ 67 4.1. Non-epistemic modality: the neutral attitude ..................................................................... 68 4.1.1 Expression of acceptance and permission, and some pragmatic issues ......................... 68 4.1.2 Potential meaning ................................................................................................................................... 77 4.2 The non-neutral attitude ................................................................................................................. 82 4.2.1 Simple attitude ......................................................................................................................................... 82 4.2.2 Complex attitude ........................................................................................................................................................ 86 4.2.3 Summing up ................................................................................................................................................................... 90 4.3 Non-Epistemic Modality and Non-Temporal Use of Preterite Forms .................... 91 4.3.1 Skulle vs. skal ............................................................................................................................................................... 95 4.3.2 Ville vs. vil ................................................................................................................................................... 99 4.3.3 Burde vs. bør ...........................................................................................................................................101 4.3.4 Kunne vs. kan ..........................................................................................................................................103 4.3.5 Måtte vs. må .............................................................................................................................................107 4.3.6 Summing up .............................................................................................................................................109 5 5. Epistemic modality in Norwegian ........................................................................................ 111 5.1 Neutral epistemic attitude ............................................................................................................112 5.2 Non-neutral epistemic attitude ..................................................................................................116 5.2.1 Simple attitude .......................................................................................................................................116 5.2.2 Complex attitude ...................................................................................................................................120 5.3 Epistemic Modality and Non-Temporal Use of Preterite Forms .............................121 5.3.1 Skulle vs. skal ..........................................................................................................................................122 5.3.2 Ville vs. vil .................................................................................................................................................129 5.3.3 Burde vs. bør ...........................................................................................................................................131 5.3.4 Kunne vs. kan ..........................................................................................................................................132 5.3.5 Måtte vs. må .............................................................................................................................................134 5.4 Summing up and conclusions of this chapter .....................................................................136 6. The relationship between attitude and negation ............................................ 138 6.1 Non-epistemic attitude and negation .....................................................................................142 6.2 Epistemic attitude and negation ...............................................................................................155 6.3 Summing up and conclusions of this chapter .....................................................................159 7. Attitude towards another attitude: Two (or more) attitudes verbally expressed in one utterance ............................................................................... 162 7.1 The relationship between epistemic and non-epistemic attitude ..........................163 7.2 Means of expression of attitude. Modal adverbs/adjectives and verbs ...............169 7.3 Different attitudes in one utterance ........................................................................................176 7.4 Summing up the findings of this chapter ..............................................................................192 8. Diachronic considerations ................................................................................ 194 8.1 Expressing neutral attitude in Old Norse and in Modern Norwegian .................194 8.2 Expressing non-neutral simple attitude. ...............................................................................204 8.3 Expressing non-neutral complex attitude. Old Norse BYRJA and Modern Norwegian BURDE...................................................................................................211 8.4 Summing up the findings of this chapter ..............................................................................214 9. Final discussion. Summary and conclusions ................................................... 216 Bibliography