The ministry of higher and secondary special education of the republic of uzbekistan

CHAPTER III
III.Modal words
III.1.General characteristics of modal words
The Dictionary of Linguistic Terms treats a modal word as "a word that has lost its specific lexical meaning and functions as a means of descriptive expression of modality" . A.A. Ionina's grammar of the English language gives the following definition: modal words are words expressing the subjective attitude of the speaker to the thought expressed in the sentence . Modal words are a part of speech, which includes immutable words expressing the subjective attitude of the speaker to the thought expressed. With regard to form, modal words have not developed any single external sign. However, two other attributes - semantic and syntactic - are presented quite clearly, which makes many linguists talk about modal words as an independent part of speech . A semantic feature of modal words is their meaning of the subjective attitude to the statement in terms of its credibility, presumption or desirability. With respect to meaning, modal words differ significantly from other denominative parts of speech that perform the nominative function; however, in terms of independence of meaning, they undoubtedly belong to the denominative, and not to the service parts of speech. The syntactic function of modal words is that of an introductory member of a sentence or, much less frequently, of a sentence word. Modal words can function as propositional words, similarly to the propositional words Yes and No. However, the propositional words Yes and No never change their status, whereas modal words can be propositional words (in dialogue) or be introductory words in a sentence. Professor L.S. Barkhudarov says that in a sentence modal words always play the role of introductory members of a sentence. L.S. Barkhudarov also defines modal words as words that have the meaning of characterizing the entire reported fact in terms of its probability, possibility, connection with other facts, events, etc. . In addition, Professor Barkhudarov notes that not every word acting as an introductory member of the sentence belongs to the class of modal words. Modal words are a special part of speech, and other parts of speech and combinations of words may also act as introductory members: adverbs, prepositional clauses, infinitive constructions, etc. Modal words as parts of speech include only words that are always, in all cases, used as introductory members of a sentence. These words are characterized by their immutability and limited combinability with other words


III.2. Lexical composition and classification of modal words
In modern English the following words belong to the modal words: certainly, of course, no doubt, surely, apparently, assuredly, undoubtedly, indeed, evidently, naturally, obviously, really, actually, perhaps, maybe, probably, possibly, happily - unhappily, luckily - unluckily, fortunately- unfortunately . By their meaning modal words can be subdivided depending on the subjective attitude they express to the facts of real reality into: words expressing a statement; words expressing a supposition; words expressing a subjective evaluation of the contents of a statement in terms of its desirability or undesirability. Within each group, modal words are close to each other in meaning, but at the same time, each expresses a different connotation or differs in its use in speech from other modal words of the same semantic group


III.3. Modal words as a means of expressing authenticity
Modal words have the meaning of supposition, doubt, probability, confidence of the speaker in the thought expressed in the sentence. Modal words act as introductory members of a sentence and usually refer to the whole sentence. Some modal words (e.g., of course, certainly, no doubt, perhaps, etc.) may function as sentence words. Consider the following example: I wondered if my hundred was still in it. Probably. Modal words are words through which the speaker evaluates his statement as a whole or its separate parts from the point of view of their relationship to objective reality . Having considered these definitions of modal words, we can say that modal words occupy a special place in the system of parts of speech. Their general grammatical meaning is associated with the expression of modality, that is, the relationship of the reported to reality, which is established by the speaker. Most of the modal words in English are derived from adverbs and coincide with adverbs of action, having the suffix -ly, therefore modal words are often close to adverbs and particles, so that the distinction between the former and the latter sometimes proves difficult. According to their meaning, modal words may be divided into two groups: . Modal words with an affirmative meaning, expressing a logical assessment of the statement, the speaker's confidence in the reality of the message, categorical reliability: certainly, true, really, of course, undoubtedly, of course, etc. Phraseological combinations such as: indeed, it goes without saying, etc., also belong to this group. Modal words with a presumptive meaning, expressing possibility, problematic credibility (supposition, probability, assumption, doubt): probably, probably, apparently, apparently, seems, probably, etc. The phrases of the same group also include combinations of "may" and "may". This also includes the combinations "may be", "must be", "in all probability", etc. Modal words differ from nouns, with which they are related by origin, by the absence of nominative function. Modal words are not names of objects, attributes or processes denoted by noun words; they are deprived of grammatical connection with words constituting a sentence, and are not members of a sentence. Being grammatically isolated in a sentence, modal words undergo a process of lexicalization. Because of this process, modal words play the role of entire lexical units and lose not only modifiability, but also morphological partitioning. So, the combination "may be", getting the meaning of a modal word, often loses the second word (to be), and the inflection - yet in the word "may" loses its inherent meaning . It is known that in English, modal words express the author's attitude to his statement, denoting confidence, doubt, assumption, positive or negative assessment of what is said in the sentence. Modal words can be simple (sure, perhaps), derivative (surely, naturally, really) and compound (maybe, to be sure). The most common modal words include: -modal words expressing doubt and supposition, uncertainty about the reliability of the reported: maybe, perhaps, probably; -modal words expressing approval or disapproval: fortunately, unfortunately, luckily, unluckily, happily, unhappily; -modal words expressing amplification: really; -modal words expressing confidence, credibility of the reported: course, sure, surely, to be sure, sure enough, evidently, obviously, no doubt, naturally, really. Let's look at some examples:
1.Perhaps, you’re right. - Возможно, вы правы.
2.Unfortunately, the weather was bad. - К сожалению, погода была плохая.
3.I really dont know whats to be done. - Я действительно не знаю, что предстоит сделать.
4.Maybe Mary is ill. - Может быть, Мэри заболела.
5.No doubt he will come later. - Он, без сомнения, придет позже. .Of course I understand it. - Конечно, я понимаю это.
The characteristic features of modal words on the syntactic side are the following: use in the sense of a word-proposal, more often in dialogic speech: Can I borrow your pen? - Of course. - Can I borrow your pen? - Of course .Use as an introductory word: You, of course, do not care about me. ) Use as affirmative words with a meaning close to modal particles and adverbs: Certainly, the poet is talented ("certainly" is close to the modal particle yes.) - The poet is undoubtedly talented (unconditionally is a determinative adverb). - The poet is undoubtedly talented (unconditionally, a modal word as an introductory phrase). As stated above, modal words perform the function of introductory members in a sentence. But it should be noted that if every modal word can act as an introductory word, not every introductory word is modal. Modal words do not include: 1)introductory words expressing an emotional evaluation of the message (fortunately, unfortunately, surprisingly, sadly); 2)introductory words expressing someone else's speech (they say, by hearsay); )introductory words indicating the order of thoughts (first, finally, therefore, so, etc. As we have already noted, the category of modal words usually includes indicators expressing a high degree of certainty - some researchers call them indicators of "categorical certainty" (undoubtedly, certainly, indisputably, for sure, certainly, of course, naturally, really, etc.). The indicators of uncertainty, introducing assumptions (probably, true, probably, seems, obviously, apparently, apparently, apparently, apparently, as seen, apparently, judging by all appearances, perhaps, like (would), as if, seems, probably, should be, may be, probably, hardly, unlikely, in my opinion, etc.). Among the words that introduce the meaning of supposition, the indicators of doubt (hardly, hardly) are sometimes considered separately. Some authors, instead of the category of supposition, introduce the category of possibility (maybe, possibly, probably, probably, etc.). In conclusion of this paragraph, it should be noted that modal means in speech realization play a very significant role. In the studies of a number of linguists, psycholinguists, psychologists there is an aspiration to present modal means in a classified form: in generalized schemes, tables, classifications; they are considered mainly as an introductory element, isolated particles, words, phrases.