Chapter 11. On the (con)textual properties of must , have to and shall
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Gregory Furmaniak
Abstract
This paper focuses on the (con)textual properties of root must, shall and have to. It is conducted within an evolving framework, Integrative Grammar. The account of the three modal forms that is given here is integrative in two senses. First, it shows that traditional semantic descriptions fail to account for how these forms are used in discourse and that a comprehensive characterisation of their conditions of use requires that (con)textual factors be taken into consideration. Two contextual levels are considered: the distribution of the modal forms according to discourse modes and their propensity to be used within specific discourse sequences. Second, this study shows that these (con)textual features and the forms’ semantic, pragmatic and even syntactic properties are interconnected and throw light upon one another.
Abstract
This paper focuses on the (con)textual properties of root must, shall and have to. It is conducted within an evolving framework, Integrative Grammar. The account of the three modal forms that is given here is integrative in two senses. First, it shows that traditional semantic descriptions fail to account for how these forms are used in discourse and that a comprehensive characterisation of their conditions of use requires that (con)textual factors be taken into consideration. Two contextual levels are considered: the distribution of the modal forms according to discourse modes and their propensity to be used within specific discourse sequences. Second, this study shows that these (con)textual features and the forms’ semantic, pragmatic and even syntactic properties are interconnected and throw light upon one another.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. Modalising expressions and modality 1
-
Section I. Moving to modal categories
- Chapter 2. Revisiting global and intra-categorial frequency shifts in the English modals 19
- Chapter 3. The scope of modal categories 47
- Chapter 4. Not just frequency, not just modality 79
- Chapter 5. How and why seem became an evidential 109
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Section II. Moving to modal co-text
- Chapter 6. Conditionals, modality, and Schrödinger’s cat 143
- Chapter 7. Modal marking in conditionals. Grammar, usage and discourse 173
- Chapter 8. Present-day English constructions with chance ( s ) in Talmy’s greater modal system and beyond 195
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Section III. Moving to modal context
- Chapter 9. A genre-based analysis of evaluative modality in multi-verb sequences in English 225
- Chapter 10. Epistemic modals in academic English 253
- Chapter 11. On the (con)textual properties of must , have to and shall 281
- Chapter 12. “The future elected government should fully represent the interests of Hongkong people” 311
- Subject Index 343
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. Modalising expressions and modality 1
-
Section I. Moving to modal categories
- Chapter 2. Revisiting global and intra-categorial frequency shifts in the English modals 19
- Chapter 3. The scope of modal categories 47
- Chapter 4. Not just frequency, not just modality 79
- Chapter 5. How and why seem became an evidential 109
-
Section II. Moving to modal co-text
- Chapter 6. Conditionals, modality, and Schrödinger’s cat 143
- Chapter 7. Modal marking in conditionals. Grammar, usage and discourse 173
- Chapter 8. Present-day English constructions with chance ( s ) in Talmy’s greater modal system and beyond 195
-
Section III. Moving to modal context
- Chapter 9. A genre-based analysis of evaluative modality in multi-verb sequences in English 225
- Chapter 10. Epistemic modals in academic English 253
- Chapter 11. On the (con)textual properties of must , have to and shall 281
- Chapter 12. “The future elected government should fully represent the interests of Hongkong people” 311
- Subject Index 343
