Transcript Mood and Modality - Systemic

UNIVERSIDAD CENTRAL DE VENEZUELA
FACULTAD DE HUMANIDADES Y EDUCACIÓN
Comisión de Estudios de Postgrado
Área de Lingüística
Maestría en Inglés, mención
Inglés como Lengua Extranjera
Mood and Modality
Student: Salazar, Mariángeles
Systems within the
interpersonal component
Linguistic phenomena are social in the
sense that whenever people speak/listen or
write, they do so in ways that are
determined socially and have social
effects. (Fairclough 1989)

The interpersonal function is concerned
with the establishment of the individual in
all kinds of personal interaction.

From this perspective two models will
stand for the fulfillment of the
interpersonal function: Mood and
Modality.
Mood

It has the value of showing the types of
roles that speakers and hearers take in
linguistic exchange. (Simpson, 1993)
Modality

It refers broadly to a speaker's attitude
towards, and opinion about, the truth of a
proposition expressed by a sentence.
(Simpson, 1993)
Mood
It is an option available within the
interpersonal component of language.
 The mood systems are choices between
different roles that a speaker can select
for himself and for his hearer.
 Mood is the form of the verb that shows
the mode or manner in which a thought
is expressed.

Roles of Addressers and Audience
Geoff Thompson (1996)

Purpose of communicative exchange:
to order, apologize, confirm, invite, reject,
evaluate, describe.

The most fundamental purposes in any
exchange are GIVING (and taking) or
DEMANDING (and being given) a
commodity of some kind.
Halliday has often argued forcefully
against looking at language in terms of
‘constituents’ – that is, breaking clauses
into groups and then groups into words,
and assigning each ‘bit’ an identifiable
meaning.
 As a rule, interpersonal meanings are not
inherently tied to specific constituents but
spread over the whole clause; and they
may well be cumulative, reinforced by
being expressed at several points in the
clause.

Roles of Addressers and Audience
From the point of view of a speaker in a
verbal exchange, the commodity that the
speaker may be giving or demanding is
INFORMATION.
 This is carried out only through language.
 The speaker makes a statement to give
information, or asks a question to demand it.
 The exchange is successful if the listener
receives (understands) the information

Roles of Addressers and Audience
that the speaker gives or provides the
information demanded (answers the
question).
 Sometimes the exchange will only be
successful if a non-verbal action is carried
out and if the listener obeys the command.
 When this happens a new commodity has
to be included.
 Halliday (1994) calls this commodity
‘goods-&-services’
Roles of Addressers and Audience

There are four basic SPEECH ROLES:
Giving information
Demanding information
Giving goods-&-services
Demanding goods-&-services
The usual labels for these functions are:
Statements
Questions
Offers
Commands
Roles of Addressers and Audience
Basic Speech Roles
Role in
exchange
Commodity
exchanged
(i) giving
(ii) demanding
(a) good -&- services
(b) Information
Offer
Statement
I’ll show you the way.
We’re nearly there.
Command
Question
Give me your hand.
Is this the place?
Roles of Addressers and Audience

Three of these basic functions are closely
associated with particular grammatical
structure:
Statements
 Questions
 Commands

expressed by
declarative clauses
interrogative clauses
imperative clauses
Mood

The mood system in English is divided into
four subcategories.
FUENTE
Indicative Mood

The indicative mood 'indicates‘ something.

It conveys to the listener/reader that the
speaker/writer is making a statement,
referring to the real world in an honest,
direct, relevant way.

The majority of our expressions are indicative
in mood.
Indicative Mood
Speakers signal the indicative mood by
using word order.
 When the auxiliaries = Finite take their
"usual" position following the 'subject,' we
interpret the clause as being in the
indicative mood. (Declarative)
 a.- Little Rock is the capital of Arkansas.
 b.- Ostriches cannot fly.

MOOD

The clauses
1.- Small boys are naturally dirty.
2.- Has John closed the door?
have both chosen INDICATIVE. However,
the syntactic pattern in each one of them is
different.

INDICATIVE makes a further choice
Indicative Mood
Mood
INDICATIVE
• Declarative
• Interrogative
Clause one (1) Small boys are naturally dirty.
has chosen indicative declarative.
 Clause two (2) Has John closed the door?
has chosen indicative interrogative.

MOOD

Indicative interrogative clauses make a
further choice
• Declarative
Mood
INDICATIVE
• Interrogative
• Closed
• Open
Interrogative Mood

The interrogative mood signals the
speakers' desire for information, that they
are asking a question, that they are
'interrogating' the listeners.

The interrogative is marked by starting a
clause with an auxiliary = Finite verb or
an interrogative pronoun.
MOOD
• Yes/ No Questions
Declarative
• Closed
INDICATIVE
Interrogative
• Alternative
Questions
•Tag Questions
• Open
• Wh - Questions
Interrogative Mood
Examples
A.- Closed Interrogative Clauses
Don’t you like it?
Y/N Question
Tea or coffee?
Alternative Question
This is easy, isn’t it?
Tag Question

Are you Leaving?
 Did the doctor give you the medicine?
 Blue or yellow?
 Is hot today, isn’t it?

Y/N Question
Y/N Question
Interrogative Mood

B.- Open Interrogative Clauses
Information questions
What’s your favorite place?
 When have you decided to come?
 How do you prefer your coffee?

Imperative Mood
The imperative mood expresses the
speakers' sense of a command, request,
exhortation, or advice.
 Speakers signal the imperative mood by
using a base form of the verb in clauseinitial position.
 Don’t smoke in this building.
Be careful!
Don’t drown that puppy!

Imperative Mood
It influences other people’s behavior.
 The speaker of a clause that has chosen
imperative has selected himself the role of
CONTROLLER and for his hearer the
role of CONTROLLED.
 The clauses
Clean the room
Let us clean the room
represent imperative mood.

Imperative Mood
However the syntactic patterns are
different, their meanings are different, too.
 The speaker of a clause that has chosen
IMPERATIVE mood makes a further
choice:
Exclusive
Imperative
Inclusive

Imperative Mood
Consider the following clauses
a.- Wash your hands.
b.- Let us consider the matter.
Clause (a) the speaker excludes him/herself
from the performers
Imperative Exclusive Clause
Clause (b) the speaker includes him/herself
among the performers
Imperative Inclusive Clause

Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive mood expresses the
speakers' sense of the unlikely, a wish, a
prayer, a hope.
 The subjunctive describes the state of
affairs as speakers wish or hope them to
be.
 It describes hypothetical situations, "some
other world," the unreal.

Subjunctive Mood
Speakers signal the subjunctive by beginning
subordinate clauses with an auxiliary = Finite
or by using subordinators that overtly mark
hypothetical conditions.
 Examples
 Had I known you were coming, I would have
baked a cake.
 If I were a millionaire, I would endow an
award in your honor.

Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive is also marked in the verb
phrase by the use of subject-verb concord,
where the singular subject I is matched with
the plural verb were.
 Base forms of verbs can also signal the
subjunctive. Examples:
 I suggest that Ms. Jones reconsider her
decision.
 The administration insists that no one be
exempted from the placement exams.

The Mood System

The mood system is an option available within the
interpersonal function. It shows the roles that a speaker
has selected for him/herself and for his/her hearer.
• Indicative
Declarative
• Closed
• Interrogative
• Open
Mood
• Imperative
• Exclusive
• Inclusive
• Subjunctive
• Yes/No
• Alternative
• Tag
Wh-
Modality

It refers broadly to a speaker's attitude
towards, and opinion about, the truth of a
proposition expressed by a sentence.
(Simpson, 1993)
THE MODAL VERBS

Their morphology and syntax being so limited,
the English modals had to develop a high
semantic potential that is extremely context
sensitive; for that reason, mistaking one modal
for another could bring about the changes in
meaning that would direct the message and
communication the wrong way.
THE MODAL VERBS






Compare:
You must go home now:You might go home now.
2) How come that you can say:You should see a
doctor and You ought to see a doctor?
Or
You may go now and You can go now.
I will receive him tomorrow and I shall receive
him tomorrow.
THE MODAL VERBS
Some modals overlap in meaning, though they
are not 100% synonymous .
 That is a consequence of an ongoing process
called the semantic change.
 That fact makes the modal verbs probably the
most difficult part of the English grammar to
explain as well as to master.

THE MODAL VERBS
The English modal verbs can be classified into
groups:
 central : MUST, CAN/COULD,
SHALL/SHOULD, WILL/WOULD,
MAY/MIGHT (9 forms)
 marginal : OUGHT TO, NEED, DARE, USED
TO (4 forms)

Apart from these forms, there are also the so-called semimodals and modal idioms.
Semi-modals:
BE ABLE TO, BE ABOUT TO, BE APT TO, BE BOUND TO, BE
CERTAIN TO, BE DESTINED TO, BE DUE TO, BE GOING TO,
BE LIKELY TO, BE MEANT TO, BE OBLIGED TO, BE SUPPOSED
TO, BE SURE TO, BE WILLING TO, HAVE TO.

Modal idioms:
HAD BETTER, HAD RATHER, WOULD RATHER, WOULD
SOONER, WOULD AS SOON, MAY/MIGHT AS WELL, HAD
BEST, BE TO, HAVE GOT TO.

Certainty
Modality
Uncertainty
Ex. I am quite sure.
I know.
I don’t know.
I suppose.
Halliday (1975) proposed another system to
represent degrees o obligation:
MODULATION
Ex. You must do this.
They are supposed to do that.
We are allowed to remain here.
Modality
Modulation
represents the speaker’s
judgment of probability
expresses the speaker’s
assessment of obligation
High value: certain
Modality
Median value: probable
Low value: possible
High value modality: I know you’re there.
I’m quite sure she’s coming.
It’s certain that John has forgotten.
Median value modality:
Low value modality:
Maybe John has forgotten.
I might be late.
It is probable that she hasn’t studied.
He seemed a kind man.
There is a possibility that he won’t.
leave.
Halliday (1975) Modality elements are expressed
by:
Verbs
(modal
auxiliaries)
may, might,
can, could,
will, would,
etc.
Adverbs
Maybe,
possibly,
perhaps,
probably,
presumable,
surely,
obviously,
certainly.
Adjectives Nouns
Possible, likely,
obvious, sure,
etc.
Possibility,
chance,
likelihood,
probability,
etc.
High value: required
Modulation
Median value: supposed
Low value: allowed
High value modulation: You’re required to finish that report by 2.
Essays were to be typed.
You’re not allowed to enter that room.
You mustn’t smoke in a hospital.
Median value modality: They’re supposed to bring their books.
You should go to the doctor.
I’d like you to read aloud.
Low value modality:
You are not required to do so.
They can’t stay at home.
We’re allowed to go out.
Halliday (1975) Modality and modulation
systems:
 Use common grammatical elements, ex. must, can, suppose, etc.
 Use of the terms high, median, low.
They might be considered
scales and not systems
 Do not include questions like expressions of desire which is a
common element within the personal subcomponent of
language.
 Adverbs like luckily, unfortunately, and regrettably were not
considered.
Simpson (1993) proposes only one system which
compiles both modality and modulation:
Modality
System
Certainty:
Attitudinal aspect of language
(degree)
I’m sure it will rain today.
Perception: He seemed upset about it.
Desire:
I hope you enjoy the tip.
Obligation: He should be arriving any minute now.
Epistemic
Perception
Modality
Boulomaic
Deontic
Epistemic
certainty
I know it’s going to be hard.
It must be raining there.
I suppose he will consider this matter.
perception
We think it might be enough for them.
It seems to be the best solution.
It would appear that they were normal.
That book looks interesting.
Boulomaic
expressions of desire
I wish you were here.
If only I were rich.
Hopefully, he will quit soon.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t be there on time.
We regret that so many young people leave.
the university without qualifications.
Deontic
expressions of obligation
Such things ought not to be allowed.
You are required to start work at seven.
He demanded that he be told everything.
There’s no need for you to go yet.
Modality
Thompson (1996) Types of Modality
Commodity
Information
Probability (how likely it is to be true): possible/probable/certain
Usuality (how frequently it is true): sometimes/often/always
Commodity
Good&Services
Obligation (on the other person to carry out a command):
permissible/advisable/obligatory
Willingness (inclination of the speaker to fulfill the offer):
ability/willingness/determination
Thompson (1996) Types of Modality
probability: The child might be hers.
modalisation (information)
usuality: She often went there.
Type of
modality
obligation:You should go now.
modulation (good&services)
inclination: I’ll give you a hand.
Modal Commitment
Modalisation
HIGH
MEDIAN
LOW
Modulation
I shall never be happy again.
You must ask someone.
They should be back by now.
You ought to invite her.
I may be quite wrong.
You can help yourself
to a drink.
Speaker’s commitment: the degree to which the speaker
commits himself or herself to the validity of what s/he is
saying.
Modal Responsibility
It can be graded according to how far the speaker overtly
accepts responsibility for the attitude being expressed.
Modalisation
Explicit
subjectivity
Implicit
subjectivity
Implicit
objective
Explicit
objective
I’m sure we should sell
this place.
She might have written
to me.
We probably won’t
repay it.
It’s likely that they’ve
heard by now.
Modulation
I don’t advise you to drink it.
I mustn't go there anymore.
A cathedral is supposed to be old.
It’s essential that you leave at once.
Modality

Modality may be defined as the way in which
the meaning of a proposition is modified as to
reflect the speaker's/ subject’s attitude
towards the likelihood of the proposition
content being or becoming true.
Yes
No
Cigarettes are bad for you.
Cigarettes must be bad for you.
Cigarettes can be bad for you.
Cigarettes could be bad for you.
Cigarettes may be bad for you.
Cigarettes might be bad for you.
Cigarettes might not be bad for you.
Cigarettes may not be bad for you.
Cigarettes could not be bad for you.
Cigarettes cannot be bad for you.
Cigarettes should not be bad for you.
Cigarettes are not bad for you.
High
(positive)
Cigarettes are bad for you
Cigarettes must be bad for you.
Cigarettes can be bad for you.
Cigarettes could be bad for you.
Cigarettes may be bad for you.
Low (positive)
Cigarettes might be bad for you.
Cigarettes might not be bad for you. Low (negative)
Cigarettes may not be bad for you.
Cigarettes could not be bad for you.
Cigarettes cannot be bad for you.
Cigarettes should not be bad for you.
High
Cigarettes are not bad for you.
(negative)
Mood Analysis
Extract from the movie “Little
Miss Sunshine”
Review of the comedy movie:
“Little Miss Sunshine”
Frank
Grandpa
Dwayne
Sheryl
Olive
Richard
Context.

The Family is having dinner after Sheryl
arrives with his suicidal brother Frank,
making Richard uncomfortable with his
presence.
Meanwhile,
unpleasant
conversations were in progress, Richard
told Olive about a message on the
telephone machine. The Dialogue begins
with this message.
Analysis applying Mood System
Answering Machine (Cindy’s message):
– Sheryl, it´s Cindy. (Indicative Declarative).
–
Remember when Olive was here last month?
(Interrogative Closed).
– She was runner up in the Regional Little Miss
Sunshine? (Interrogative Closed).
◦ They just called right now and said that the girl
who won had to forfeit her crown. (Indicative
Declarative).
◦ I don´t know why something about diet pills.
(Indicative Declarative).
◦ Now she has a place in the State Contest in
Redondo Beach! (Indicative Declarative).
Dialogue

Richard: What happened? (Interrogative Opened).

Sheryl: I´m just calling to – Cindy! (Indicative Declarative).
Yeah we just got it. (Indicative Declarative).
Yeah, she basically went crazy. (Indicative Declarative).
No, I didn´t get that. (Indicative Declarative).
The machine cut you off, Okay. (Indicative Declarative).
Redondo Beach. This Sunday ?(Interrogative Closed).
WH – are you guys going? (Interrogative Closed)

Sheryl: They have some equestrian thing in
Santa Barbara. (Indicative Declarative).

Richard: You know, they do that horse shit
every
single
weekend.
(Indicative
Declarative).

Sheryl: Well, it´s the Nationals. (Indicative
Declarative).

They’re taking both horses, so apparently it´s a
big deal. (Indicative Declarative).
BLAH!

Richard: What about Olive? (Interrogative
Opened).

You
promised!
(Indicative
Declarative).
Sheryl: We’ll fly out and come back
Monday. (Indicative Declarative).
 Richard: How are you gonna get around out
there? (Interrogative Opened).
 Sheryl: We’ll rent a car. (Indicative

Declarative).

Richard: We can’t afford it. (Indicative
Declarative).

Sheryl: Well, that’s what we’re gonna do
unless you have a better idea. (Indicative
Declarative).

Richard: All right. I’ll drive the bus. (Indicative
Declarative).
Mood Chart: “Little Miss Sunshine
Conversation extract”
Mood
Richard Sheryl Grandpa
1. Indicative
Declarative.
11
23
04
Cindy’s
message
04
2. Indicative
Interrogative
Opened.
06
01
01
00
3. Indicative
Interrogative
Closed.
02
03
00
02
4. Imperative
Exclusive.
01
00
00
00
5. Imperative
Inclusive.
00
00
00
00
This is it for
Mood analysis!
Modality Analysis
Extract from the short story
“Charles” by Shirley Jackson.
Review of the short story:
“Charles”
Charles
Background

The Modality System is going to be
applied on Shirley Jackson’s “Charles”
short story, written in 1948, in which
according to Jackson (1950) the action of
the story covers a time span of a little
more than four weeks. The story is told by
the mother, as first-person narrator, where
she is both, observer of the action and is
involved in it.
Context

Jackson (1948) short story “Charles”
concerned about a little boy called Laurie
who has started the kindergarten, and
keeps his parents in suspense with stories
about Laurie’s partner called Charles and
his notorious behaviors.
Analysis applying Modality
System
Modality
Speaker
Sentence
Epistemic
Boulomaic
Deontic
Modulation
High
1. Laurie
1.
“Thursday
Charles had to
stand in a corner
during
story-
time because he
kept
pounding
his feet on the
floor.”
low
High
low
High
low
Modality
Speaker
Sentence
Epistemic
Boulomaic
Deontic
Modulation
High
2.
“The
teacher had to
make Charles
keep quiet”
3. Throw him
out of school,
I guess.
low
High
low
High
low
Modality
Speaker
Sentence
Epistemic
Boulomaic
Deontic
Modulation
High
2. The
Mother:
(Narrator)
1. “ I wanted
passionately
to
meet
Charles’s
mother”
2. “Well, he
certainly
likes
kindergarten’
low
High
low
High
low
Modality
Speaker
Sentence
Epistemic
Boulomaic
Deontic
Modulation
High
3. The
Father
1. “This may
mean
he’s
only
plotting”
2. “Might as
well
meet
them
as
later”
low
High
low
High
low
ANALISIS OF THE CHART WITH
A GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF THE
CHARACTERS
Laurie
80%
20%
0%
Epistemic: High &
Low
Boulomaic: High
& Low
Deontic: High &
Low

It is observed that “Laurie”, one of the
characters, produced more deontic
utterances in reference to actions
performed by someone else, in this case
his notorious behavior known as
“Charles”. Moreover, according to
Simpson (1993), the deontic modality
refers to expressions of obligations and
permission, and in this case, “Laurie’s
expressions submit to obligation that
should have been performed by “himself”
(Charles).

The epistemic modality reflected on
Laurie’s
graphic
refers
to
the
consciousness of his actions as Charles,
and the possible consequences that he
should be facing due to his behavior.
Therefore, it is also possible, that Laurie’s
manners lead him to be expelled out of the
kindergarten, which would have been
Charles’ objective.
The mother
65%
Deontic: High & Low
15%
20%
Boulomaic: High &
Low
Epistemic: High &
Low
The “the mother” which is also the
narrator, produced a small percentage of
the deontic modality, in terms of
obligation, regarding the teacher’s work in
the kindergarten, owing to Charles
inappropriate conduct.
 Additionally, the epistemic utterance
produced in the text are concerned in
relation to her perceptions and suppose
certainty about her son’s attitude toward
his behavior at school (This seemed to be
wrong until she finds out at the end).


Furthermore, the boulomaic utterances,
which according to León (2004) are
concerned about expressions of desire;
reflect Laurie’s mother wishes about the
actions that should be taken into account
regarding Charles’s behavior at school and
also reflects her desire of meeting Charles’
mothers, in order to understand his
comportment.
The Father
33%
0%
Epistemic
Boulomaic
Deontic
67%

“The father”, another character of the
story, produced a great percentage of
epistemic modality, due to different
causes, for instance, he presented his
perception towards Laurie’s partner’s
notorious behavior and, as well, he shows
he’s life experience through his
utterances.

The boulomaic modality utterance
presents his desires of understanding the
familiar background in which Charles is
growing up and that lead him to act the
way he does. Therefore, this might
suggest that the father states his opinions
with reference to the child’s behavior.
Charles
said: ‘This
is it!’
Thank you!