A Semantic Universal for Modality
Shane Steinert-Threlkeld, Nathaniel Imel, Qingxia Guo
August 2022
 

This paper articulates a new semantic universal for modal expressions in natural language, dubbed the Independence of Force and Flavor (IFF). This property accommodates counterexamples to Nauze 2008’s proposed universal from variable-force variable-flavor modals (Bochnak 2015a,b) and attitude verbs (Močnik & Abramovitz 2019), while still ruling out unattested modals. It may also be seen as a form of convexity applied to modals.
Format: [ pdf ]
Reference: lingbuzz/006399
(please use that when you cite this article)
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keywords: modals, typology, variable force, variable flavor, semantic universals, semantics
previous versions: v1 [January 2022]
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