Description

Book Synopsis
Since the publication of F. R. Palmer's first edition of 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. In his investigation of this category, Palmer draws on a wealth of examples from a wide variety of languages. He discusses in detail familiar features in a number of mainly European languages, and also looks at less familiar features including 'evidential' systems and the contrast of realis/irrealis, both to be found in unrelated languages.

Trade 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

Table of Contents
Preface; Note on the text; List of abbreviations; 1. Introduction; 2. Modal systems: propositional modality; 3. Modal systems: event modality; 4. Modal systems and modal verbs; 5. Indicative and subjunctive; 6. Realis and Irrealis; 7. Subjunctive and irrealis; 8. Past tense as modal; References; Language index; General index.

Mood and Modality Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics

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    A Paperback by F. R. Palmer

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      Book details

      Publisher Cambridge University Press
      Published 4/16/2001 12:00:00 AM
      ISBN-13 9780521804790
      978-0521804790
      ISBN-10 0521804795
      Also in:
      Grammar, syntax and morphology

      Description

      Book Synopsis
      Since the publication of F. R. Palmer's first edition of 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. In his investigation of this category, Palmer draws on a wealth of examples from a wide variety of languages. He discusses in detail familiar features in a number of mainly European languages, and also looks at less familiar features including 'evidential' systems and the contrast of realis/irrealis, both to be found in unrelated languages.

      Trade 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

      Table of Contents
      Preface; Note on the text; List of abbreviations; 1. Introduction; 2. Modal systems: propositional modality; 3. Modal systems: event modality; 4. Modal systems and modal verbs; 5. Indicative and subjunctive; 6. Realis and Irrealis; 7. Subjunctive and irrealis; 8. Past tense as modal; References; Language index; General index.

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