Alethic modality: Difference between revisions
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'''Alethic modality''' is a [[linguistic modality]] which indicates logical necessity, possibility or impossibility.<ref name="SIL">{{cite web|url=http://www.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOflinguisticTerms/WhatIsAlethicModality.htm|title=What is alethic modality?|publisher=SIL International|work=Glossary of linguistic terms|last=Loos|first=Eugene E.|coauthors=Susan Anderson; Dwight H. Day, Jr.; Paul C. Jordan; J. Douglas Wingate|accessdate=2010-01-03}}</ref> |
'''Alethic modality''' (from Greek [[Aletheia|ἀλήθεια]] = truth) is a [[linguistic modality]] which indicates modalities of truth, in particular the modalities of logical necessity, possibility or impossibility.<ref name="SIL">{{cite web|url=http://www.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOflinguisticTerms/WhatIsAlethicModality.htm|title=What is alethic modality?|publisher=SIL International|work=Glossary of linguistic terms|last=Loos|first=Eugene E.|coauthors=Susan Anderson; Dwight H. Day, Jr.; Paul C. Jordan; J. Douglas Wingate|accessdate=2010-01-03}}</ref> |
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Alethic modality is often associated with [[epistemic modality]] in research. However, it has been questioned whether this modality should be considered distinct from epistemic modality which denotes the speaker's evaluation or judgment of the truth. The criticism states that there is no real difference between "the truth in the world" (alethic) and "the truth in an individual's mind" (epistemic).<ref>{{cite book|last=Eschenroeder|first=Erin|coauthors=Sarah Mills; Thao Nguyen|title=The Expression of Modality|editor=William Frawley|publisher=Mouton de Gruyter|date=2006-09-30|series=The Expression of Cognitive Categories|pages=8–9|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=72URszHq2SEC&pg=PT18|isbn=3-11-018436-2|accessdate=2010-01-03}}</ref> An investigation has not found a single language in which alethic and epistemic modalities are formally distinguished, as by the means of a [[grammatical mood]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Nuyts|first=Jan|title=Epimestic Modality, Language, and Conceptualization: A Cognitive-pragmatic Perspective|publisher=John Benjamins Publishing Co|date=November 2000|series=Human Cognitive Processing|page=28|isbn=90-272-2357-2}}</ref> In such a language, "A circle can't be square", "can't be" would be expressed by an alethic mood, whereas for "He can't be that wealthy", "can't be" would be expressed by an epistemic mood. As we can see, this is not a distinction drawn in English grammar. |
Alethic modality is often associated with [[epistemic modality]] in research. However, it has been questioned whether this modality should be considered distinct from epistemic modality which denotes the speaker's evaluation or judgment of the truth. The criticism states that there is no real difference between "the truth in the world" (alethic) and "the truth in an individual's mind" (epistemic).<ref>{{cite book|last=Eschenroeder|first=Erin|coauthors=Sarah Mills; Thao Nguyen|title=The Expression of Modality|editor=William Frawley|publisher=Mouton de Gruyter|date=2006-09-30|series=The Expression of Cognitive Categories|pages=8–9|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=72URszHq2SEC&pg=PT18|isbn=3-11-018436-2|accessdate=2010-01-03}}</ref> An investigation has not found a single language in which alethic and epistemic modalities are formally distinguished, as by the means of a [[grammatical mood]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Nuyts|first=Jan|title=Epimestic Modality, Language, and Conceptualization: A Cognitive-pragmatic Perspective|publisher=John Benjamins Publishing Co|date=November 2000|series=Human Cognitive Processing|page=28|isbn=90-272-2357-2}}</ref> In such a language, "A circle can't be square", "can't be" would be expressed by an alethic mood, whereas for "He can't be that wealthy", "can't be" would be expressed by an epistemic mood. As we can see, this is not a distinction drawn in English grammar. |
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Revision as of 22:00, 20 December 2013
Alethic modality (from Greek ἀλήθεια = truth) is a linguistic modality which indicates modalities of truth, in particular the modalities of logical necessity, possibility or impossibility.[1]
Alethic modality is often associated with epistemic modality in research. However, it has been questioned whether this modality should be considered distinct from epistemic modality which denotes the speaker's evaluation or judgment of the truth. The criticism states that there is no real difference between "the truth in the world" (alethic) and "the truth in an individual's mind" (epistemic).[2] An investigation has not found a single language in which alethic and epistemic modalities are formally distinguished, as by the means of a grammatical mood.[3] In such a language, "A circle can't be square", "can't be" would be expressed by an alethic mood, whereas for "He can't be that wealthy", "can't be" would be expressed by an epistemic mood. As we can see, this is not a distinction drawn in English grammar.
"You can't give these plants too much water." is a well-known play on the distinction between this so-called alethic modality and (perhaps hortatory or injunctive) modality. The dilemma is fairly easily resolved when listening through paralinguistic cues and particularly suprasegmental cues (intonation). So while there may not be a morphologically based alethic mood, this does not seem to preclude the usefulness of distinguishing between these two types of modes. Alethic modality might then concern what are considered to be apodictic statements.
References
- ^ Loos, Eugene E. "What is alethic modality?". Glossary of linguistic terms. SIL International. Retrieved 2010-01-03.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Eschenroeder, Erin (2006-09-30). William Frawley (ed.). The Expression of Modality. The Expression of Cognitive Categories. Mouton de Gruyter. pp. 8–9. ISBN 3-11-018436-2. Retrieved 2010-01-03.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Nuyts, Jan (November 2000). Epimestic Modality, Language, and Conceptualization: A Cognitive-pragmatic Perspective. Human Cognitive Processing. John Benjamins Publishing Co. p. 28. ISBN 90-272-2357-2.
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