UDC

811.161.1

DOI

10.17238/issn2227-6564.2019.6.69

Authors

Ol’ga E. Griva
Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov; ul. Smol’nyy Buyan 7, Arkhangelsk, 163002, Russian Federation;
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4423-7945 e-mail: Griwa.olga@yandex.ru

Abstract

This article dwells on the compatibility of two different modal components in a nominal predicate, which implement intra-syntactic modality: modal verb moch’ (‘can’) and modal copula schitat’sya (‘be considered’). The author turns to the study of combined modal meaning of the sentence, which is a result of two regular modal modifications of the sentence (modal-voluntary and copular-modal). Modal modifications are the transformation of a sentence within one structural framework resulting in modality change. The interaction between different modal components within a single sentence can be limited. The purpose of this article was to identify and describe the parameters affecting the compatibility of the components under study. The conclusions are based on the data of the National Corpus of the Russian Language. The lexical semantics of modal components, as well as lexical-grammatical and grammatical characteristics of the subject and verbal and nominal components of the predicate are chosen as parameters determining the possibility and regularity of combining the two modifications. It was established that the copula schitat’sya can be combined with the verb moch’, the latter expressing the meaning of external possibility independent of the subject, his/her condition, knowledge or skills. In addition, a change in the meaning of the copula schitat’sya in the construction with the verb moch’ (meaning of reliability, phasing) was revealed. The subject in such a sentence is usually expressed by an inanimate noun; the nominal component of the predicate has a characterizing meaning. The author makes a conclusion about the frequency and regularity of this combined modification, as well as about the contamination of modal meanings and their mutual influence uncovering additional modal meanings of the predicate. The revealed regularities can be useful for further studies on the compatibility of modal components within a sentence.

Keywords

modality, modality of possibility, modal verb, modal copula, sentence modification

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