The Modal Verb “khel-tsipheba” in Georgian Literary Language
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Date
2019
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universal
Abstract
It is well known in the scientific literature that one form can express different modal semantics. For example, the modal verb “may” in the English language expresses both Deontic (permission) and Epistemic (assumption, probability) modal semantics. Also, the modal verb “can”, whose initial meaning is to express Dynamic modality (opportunity), in spoken English has gained the function to express Deontic modality as well (Palmer, 1999, 2001; Traugott, 2011). We have the same situation in the Georgian language, when the modal form “unda” (must) expresses Deontic and Epistemic modal semantics. Furthermore, except “khel-tsipheba” analytical form we have one more analytical Dynamic and Deontic modal “dzal-uts” and its analytical and synthetic variants in the Georgian language. Consequently, it appears that the Georgian language, as well as many other languages, is characterized by the expression of different modal semantics with one form. In the case of complex verbs it should be conditioned by the semantics of their constituent noun components.
Description
Keywords
Old Georgian, Verb, modality
Citation
III International Symposium for Young Scholars in the Humanities (Symposium proceedings)