MODALITY & IT’S

TYPES
What is Modal-
ity?

Modality refers to the area of meaning

that lies between ‘yes’ and ‘no’ — the
intermediate ground between positive
and negative polarity(Halliday &
Matthiessen).
 What is Modal-
ity?
“Sometimes speakers want to signal that they
are not definite about their messages, that is,
they are looking for a position between a definite
yes and a definite no. They do this by changing
the configuration of the Mood Block in some
way. Their range of options for doing this is
known as MODALITY and it has its own metalan-
guage”.
David Butt. Using functional grammar: An explorer's guide
 Modal space
+ She teaches Latin

MS She might teach Latin perhaps yes, perhaps no

OP She usually teaches Latin
She ought to teach Latin
DA She’ll teach Latin if you want
AC She can teach Latin if she wants
She can teach Latin well
LE
sometimes yes, sometimes no
at present no, but ideally in the future yes
at present no, but in the future yes if you want
at present no, but in the future yes if she wants
in principle yes, at present maybe yes or no

- She doesn’t teach English.

*Note that the ordering of examples in the ‘modal space’ is not intended
to suggest that any of the example are closer to the positive or negative poles.
 What is Modal-
ity?

Modality is used to refer how speakers

signal probability, usuality, inclination
and obligation. It is a system which al-
lows people to modify prepositions or
proposals as regards probability, usu-
ality, inclination or obligation.
TYPES OF
MODALITY
 Modalization
Types of If the commodity being exchanged
Modality by is information, we can refer to the
utterance as a proposition. In
M.A.K. Hall- such cases, the modality relates to
how valid the information is being
presented as in terms of probabil-
iday ity (how likely it is to be true) or
usuality (how frequently it is true).
Some of the basic points on the
probability scale are: possible/
probable/certain; on the usuality
scale, they include: sometimes/
often/always.
Modulation
If the commodity is goods-&-services,
we can call the utterance a proposal;
and then the modality relates to how
confident the speaker can appear to
be in the eventual success of the ex-
change. In commands, this concerns
the degree of obligation on the other
person to carry out the command (the
scale for the demanded goods-&-ser-
vices includes: permissible/advisable/
obligatory), while in offers it concerns
the degree of willingness or inclination
of the speaker to fulfil the offer (the
speaker may signal:ability/
willingness/determination).
In order to distinguish these two basic types of modality, the first is called modalization,
the second is referred to as modulation.
 Modalization
Modalization consists of probability and usu-
ality. Probability occurs when the speaker
expresses judgment as to the likelihood or
probability of something happening or being
happened. For example: It might be a debt
collector. Usuality occurs when the speaker
expresses judgment as to the frequency with
which something happen. For example: And
a store always smells good.
 Modulation
When people interact and exchange goods and
services one to another, their clause of com-
munication takes the form of proposal. It has
two types, inclination and obligation. Inclination
represents the tendency of speakers in doing
something, and the capability from his or her
own feeling. For example: And I need to do it
again. Obligation occurs when the speaker give
command, suggestion, demand, and advice to
the listener. For example: You should have read
the fine print.
 Three ‘values’ of modality
Probability Usuality Obligation Inclination

High certain always required determined

Median probable usually supposed keen

Low possible sometimes allowed willing
MODAL VALUES
Thank you!