The peculiarities of realization of modal values of necessity and epistemic possibility in the Russian and Chinese languages

Abstract

This article examines the linguistic-specific parameters of language means for expressing modal valies of necessity and epistemic possibility in the Russian and Chinese languages. Particular attention is given to the analysis of quantitative and functional-semantic characteristics of language means for expressing modality in the Russian and Chinese languages from the comparative perspective. The goal of this research lies on examination of functionality of the means of objective and subjective modality within the Russian language reflected in the Chinese language. The research is based on the material of the user parallel corpus, which contains Russian and Chinese literary texts with translation, as well as on the results of student poll conducted for the purpose of determination of meta-representations of the native speakers on functionality of a number of linguistic units of the corresponding microfields. The results of comprehensive analysis demonstrate that the core and periphery of the functional-semantic fields of necessity and epistemic possibility in the Russian and Chinese languages are similar with regards to the types of linguistic units that comprise the field (the core zone consists of modal verbs and modal words); however, the allocation of elements within the field differs. From the functional-semantic perspective, the author determines a group of modal values with accurate cross-lingual correspondences and a group of words with different meanings, as well as indicates the semantic lacunas. The survey results of the native speakers confirm varying degree of consolidation of the opinion on the value of modality markers.