Time and Modality

Description

Time and Modality is a unique work of reference; not only does it unite studies which explore the syntax and semantics of tense or modality but it is the first book of its kind to embrace the interaction of tense and modality within a coherent generative model. Various topics are covered in this volume: among them are the counterfactual uses of conditionals, modals, and past tense; the irrealis use of perfective aspect; a special English subjunctive; the interaction of tense assignment and the definition of an event; the modal verb as a causative verb; the interaction of modality, tense, and aktionsart; the contrast between deontic and epistemic modal with respect to tense interpretation; the syntax of epistemic modals; the long-awaited definition of generic and habitual sentence; and the introduction of intensionality in copular clauses. Although every article deals with English to some degree, two chapters compare the syntax and semantics of tense and modality in Spanish vs English. The authors also investigate Slavic, Germanic, Afro-Asiatic, Oriental, Amerindian Languages and Hungarian. Front Matter....Pages i-xvi Introduction....Pages 1-15 Patterns in the Semantics of Generic Sentences....Pages 17-38 Intensional Subjects and Indirect Contextual Anchoring....Pages 39-57 Temporal Orientation in Conditionals....Pages 59-77 On the Temporal Syntax of Non-Root Modals....Pages 79-113 How to Say Ought in Foreign: The Composition of Weak Necessity Modals....Pages 115-141 On the Temporal Function of Modal Verbs....Pages 143-172 The English Perfect and the Metaphysics of Events....Pages 173-193 Tense and Modality in Nominals....Pages 195-225 Time With and Without Tense....Pages 227-249 The English Konjunktiv II....Pages 251-272 Phasing in Modals: Phases and the Epistemic/Root Distinction....Pages 273-291 Back Matter....Pages 293-296