Two traditions of studying modality: plan of expression

Abstract

This article advances a hypothesis on the existence of two linguistic traditions of studying modality from the perspective of the plan of expression. The first tradition – the national one – stems from the works of V. V. Vinogradov. The second tradition – the foreign one – harks back to the studies of the philosophers and logicians. The author explores the views of the scholars of both traditions, concluding on their ways of expressing modality. It is noted that researchers use different principles of grouping the modal means; divide them into the markers of objective and subjective modality, epistemic and non-epistemic modality, grammatical and lexical, as well as implicit and explicit. At the same time, there is no uniform systemic representation on the ways of expressing modality in different languages or in a particular language (in this context – Russian). Solution to this problem requires demarcating modality and subjectivity as the different categories of modus. Modality is a way of expressing irreality of events with regards to semantics (current status of a sentence) and pragmatics (illocutive function of a statement). Subjectivity is a method of conveying emotional and mental attitudes of the speaker in relation to the content of his utterance, reality, as well as other parties to communication. Therefore, modal means should include the linguistic units, which introduce the irreal plan of the possibility and necessity. Leaning on such interpretation of the category, the author lists the means of expressing modality in the Russian language.