Expressing modality in English and German by other means than modal verbs
This contrastive study of English and German gives us an insight into the ways of expressing modality through other lexical means than modal verbs. Within the framework of English modality, considered to be the reference system, I provided German similarities and dissimilarities for each category of lexical means: semi-modals, semi-auxiliaries, modal words, modal adjectives, modal nouns. It is explained how important it is to distinguish between a categorical statement and a modal one. From these considerations modality is to be understood as a semantic category which covers such notions as: possibility, probability, necessity, volition, obligation, permission etc. The projection of any of these notions onto the content of the proposition indicates that the speaker is presenting this content not as a simple assertion of fact but rather expressing the personal attitude towards that action.
Keywords: modality, semantic category, semi-modals, semi-auxiliaries, modal-words, modal-adjectives, modal-nouns
1 I daren’t ring Jeremy again. Ich wage es nicht, Jeremy
erneut anzurufen.
We needn’t worry about that. Wir brauchen uns
deswegen nicht zu sorgen.
2 When he comes, she dare not express her feelings.Wenn
er da ist, wagt sie es nicht, ihre Gefühle zu zeigen.
What nobody dares suggest is that women be told to stay
at home.
Was niemand sich untersteht vorzuschlagen, ist, den
Frauen zu sagen, sie sollten zu Hause bleiben.
3 He dare not take his eyes off his assailant. Er wagte es
nicht, die Augen von seinem Angreifer abzuwenden.
He dared not show he was pleased. Er wagte es nicht zu
zeigen, dass er zufrieden war.
4 We do not dare examine it. Wir wagen es nicht dies zu
untersuchen.
Don’t you ever dare come here again! Untersteh dich,
nochmals her zu kommen!
5 Ich muss erst wollen und dann werde ich auch
schwimmen lernen.
6 You had better go! Es wäre besser, du gingest!
(Past Subjunctive)
7 I would rather think…. Ich möchte fast
glauben….(modal verb: mögen past subjunctive)
I would much rather go. Ich möchte viel lieber gehen.
(modal verb mögen past subjunctive)
We have got to do it. Wir müssen es tun. (modal verb
mögen present)
I am to go. Ich soll gehen. (modal verb sollen present)
8 He is to be pitted. Er ist zu bedauern.(modal Infinitive
present)
9 Certainly, he has not recognized me. Allerdings hat er
mich nicht erkannt.
Did she like Kate ? – Apparently. Mag sie Kate ? –
Anscheinend.
10 If I may say so without giving you offence, I think
your writing is rather immature. / Wenn ich so sagen
dürfte, ohne dich zu beleidigen, meine ich, dass deine
Auffassung eher kindisch ist.
11 Naturally, my husband expected me home by then.
/ Selbstverständlich hat mich, zu der Zeit, mein Mann
zu Hause erwartet.
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