25.4469, Calls: General Linguistics, Pragmatics, Semantics/Netherlands

Fri Nov 7 19:52:40 UTC 2014

LINGUIST List: Vol-25-4469. Fri Nov 07 2014. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 25.4469, Calls: General Linguistics, Pragmatics, Semantics/Netherlands

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Date: Fri, 07 Nov 2014 14:52:12
From: An Van linden [an.vanlinden at arts.kuleuven.be]
Subject: Root Modality: Expressive Devices and Semantic-Pragmatics

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Full Title: Root Modality: Expressive Devices and Semantic-Pragmatics 

Date: 02-Sep-2015 - 05-Sep-2015
Location: Leiden, Netherlands 
Contact Person: An Van linden
Meeting Email: an.vanlinden at arts.kuleuven.be

Linguistic Field(s): General Linguistics; Pragmatics; Semantics 

Call Deadline: 23-Nov-2014 

Meeting Description:

In the literature on modality, there is broad consensus on how to distinguish root modality from epistemic modality, but only little agreement on the internal make-up of the root category itself. Various proposals have been put forward, some of which use the label ‘root modality’ and define further subtypes (e.g. Coates 1983; Depraetere & Reed 2011), while others prefer the combination of ‘dynamic’ and ‘deontic’ modality (and further subtypes) (Palmer 1986; Nuyts 2006; Van linden 2012), or use yet different labels (e.g. Narrog 2012).

In addition to this considerable number of taxonomies of root modality proposed in the literature, the range of types of expressions investigated also has increased. While studies on root modality – and modality in general – have traditionally focused on the category of modal verbs, with the Germanic modal auxiliaries as the prototypical cases (e.g. Palmer 1979; Coates 1983; Goossens 1985; Heine 1995; Hansen 1998), recently the research scope has been broadened – especially in the study of English – to other types of expressive devices, such as so-called semi- or quasi-modals (e.g. have to, be able to, be supposed to) (cf. Westney 1995; Leech 2003; Leech et al. 2009) and ‘emerging’ modals like have (got) to and want to (e.g. Krug 2000; Verplaetse 2010). Apart from these verb-based expressions of root modality, the last decades have witnessed an increase of studies dedicated to non-verbal expression types, such as complement constructions with ‘modal-evaluative’ adjectives like essential, necessary, and appropriate (Van linden 2012), verbo-nominal expressions of modality (e.g. have need, there is need) (Loureiro-Porto 2010; Van linden et al. 2011, 2014), and expressions with comparative adverbs (e.g. had better, would rather) (Van der Auwera & De Wit 2010; Van der Auwera et al. 2013). 

However, this diversification of coding types examined has not led to a unified treatment of root modality so far. The aim of this workshop is to move the debate forward, to enhance our understanding of the multi-faceted nature of root modality, and to investigate the division of labour between the various types of expressive devices language users have at their disposal to express root meanings.

Call for Papers:

We invite authors to submit case studies on root modality; we welcome both language-specific and cross-linguistic studies. The papers will discuss one or several of the following topics and questions:

(I) Semantic Classification:

- Which parameters serve well in drawing semantic distinctions within the domain of root modality? 
- Do these parameters apply equally well to different formal types of expressive devices within the same language? 
- Which parameters prove cross-linguistically valid?

(ii) Semantics-Pragmatics Interface:

- Which semantic-pragmatic parameters determine the distribution of certain modal markers in the domain of root modality?
- Can we draw generalization in terms of, e.g. register, position in interaction sequences, etc.?

(iii) Onomasiological Issues and Distribution:

- How do different formal types carve up the domain of root modality? (e.g. in what way differ expressions with the emergent modal need to from verbo-nominal constructions with the noun need (there is (no) need to …)? 
- Do they show a marked distribution in terms of frequency?
- Do they show preferences for certain person categories (e.g. Van der Auwera et al. 2013)?
- Do divisions of labour show changes over time? 

We invite submissions for 20-minute presentations, which should at this stage contain a title, a 300-word abstract, author name(s) and affiliation(s). Submissions should be sent to an.vanlinden at arts.kuleuven.be by November 23, 2014. The convenors will make a selection of contributions to be included in the workshop proposal by November 25. In case the workshop is accepted, the selected authors will be asked to submit a 500-word abstract before January 15, 2015. These full length abstracts will in turn be reviewed by two members of the SLE 2015 scientific committee and by the convenors.

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