Saturday, March 28, 2015

syntax - What is a modal verb, really?


Is "have to" a modal verb? tells us, in two conflicting answers, that it's either a modal verb or it's not a modal verb.


Then I just realized that there are never any definitions provided for what a modal is, only examples of modal verbs, or examples of what they do. It's an all familiar thing: "modals are used to express obligation, necessity, permission . . . ".


To narrow down and clarify the question,



  • What properties should an item possess to qualify as a modal?


  • Are modals and modal verbs different things? In other words, are there modals that are not verbs?

  • Are there modal verbs that aren't auxiliary verbs?


I realize there might be conflicting definitions, but there are areas most experts would agree upon, and for the shadier parts of the definition, only one definition would suffice.




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