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Dimensions of implicit modality in Igbo

  • Chinedu Uchechukwu
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Modes of Modality
Ein Kapitel aus dem Buch Modes of Modality

Abstract

Modality is one of the grammatical categories in Igbo language studies that received the least attention within the last century. There is, however, a growing awareness that the category of modality is expressed in the language through specific verbs and suffixes that have recently been (re-)categorised as modal verbs and modal suffixes, respectively (Uchechukwu 2008, 2011). This paper explores further the issue of modality in Igbo by focusing on the constructions and lexical items that could be involved in the implicit expression of modality in the language. The different types of constructions include wh-complement, simple relative clause, and purpose clause constructions. Lexically, the verb -kwé ‘agree’ can be used to implicitly encode varying degrees of modal possibility. An additional lexical item that encodes implicit modality is the bound verb complement (BVC) (Nwachukwu 1987) or bound cognate noun (BCN) (Emenanjo 1978), which is a verbal derivative that is formed through a reduplication of the verb root. The insight from this investigation is that the Igbo language need not be classified as belonging to those languages with ‘sparse modality’; instead, it can be described as fully possessing the grammatical category of modality, expressed both implicitly and explicitly.

Abstract

Modality is one of the grammatical categories in Igbo language studies that received the least attention within the last century. There is, however, a growing awareness that the category of modality is expressed in the language through specific verbs and suffixes that have recently been (re-)categorised as modal verbs and modal suffixes, respectively (Uchechukwu 2008, 2011). This paper explores further the issue of modality in Igbo by focusing on the constructions and lexical items that could be involved in the implicit expression of modality in the language. The different types of constructions include wh-complement, simple relative clause, and purpose clause constructions. Lexically, the verb -kwé ‘agree’ can be used to implicitly encode varying degrees of modal possibility. An additional lexical item that encodes implicit modality is the bound verb complement (BVC) (Nwachukwu 1987) or bound cognate noun (BCN) (Emenanjo 1978), which is a verbal derivative that is formed through a reduplication of the verb root. The insight from this investigation is that the Igbo language need not be classified as belonging to those languages with ‘sparse modality’; instead, it can be described as fully possessing the grammatical category of modality, expressed both implicitly and explicitly.

Kapitel in diesem Buch

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. Formal properties of modality
  5. 1 Formal properties of modality
  6. Interpreting modals by phase heads 19
  7. Evidentiality straddling T- and C-domains 43
  8. Part II. Typological surveys
  9. The syntax of modal polyfunctionality revisited 89
  10. Mora da as a marker of modal meanings in Macedonian 127
  11. Modal semantics and morphosyntax of the Latvian DEBITIVE 167
  12. Deontic or epistemic? habēre as a modal marker of future certainty in Macedonian 193
  13. Epistemic, evidential and attitudinal markers in clause-medial position in Cantonese 219
  14. Part III. Interfaces between mood and modality
  15. Modal particles in rationale clauses and related constructions 263
  16. Modal particles in causal clauses 291
  17. Part IV. Modality conceptualizations
  18. Enablement and possibility 319
  19. The modal category of sufficiency 353
  20. Part V. Diachronic derivation
  21. From agent-oriented modality to sequential 379
  22. Part VI. Covert modality
  23. A rare case of covert modality 409
  24. (C)Overt epistemic modality and its perspectival effects on the textual surface 457
  25. Dimensions of implicit modality in Igbo 485
  26. Index 507
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.149.16uch

Kapitel in diesem Buch

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. Formal properties of modality
  5. 1 Formal properties of modality
  6. Interpreting modals by phase heads 19
  7. Evidentiality straddling T- and C-domains 43
  8. Part II. Typological surveys
  9. The syntax of modal polyfunctionality revisited 89
  10. Mora da as a marker of modal meanings in Macedonian 127
  11. Modal semantics and morphosyntax of the Latvian DEBITIVE 167
  12. Deontic or epistemic? habēre as a modal marker of future certainty in Macedonian 193
  13. Epistemic, evidential and attitudinal markers in clause-medial position in Cantonese 219
  14. Part III. Interfaces between mood and modality
  15. Modal particles in rationale clauses and related constructions 263
  16. Modal particles in causal clauses 291
  17. Part IV. Modality conceptualizations
  18. Enablement and possibility 319
  19. The modal category of sufficiency 353
  20. Part V. Diachronic derivation
  21. From agent-oriented modality to sequential 379
  22. Part VI. Covert modality
  23. A rare case of covert modality 409
  24. (C)Overt epistemic modality and its perspectival effects on the textual surface 457
  25. Dimensions of implicit modality in Igbo 485
  26. Index 507
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Heruntergeladen am 9.9.2025 von https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/slcs.149.16uch/html
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