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Article published In:
Functions of Language
Vol. 29:2 (2022) ► pp.143–168

From dynamic modal to conditional protasis connective

Evidence from Chinese néng ‘be able to’

ORCID logo | University of Edinburgh

The grammaticalization literature has not demonstrated convincingly how, if at all, dynamic modals may develop into conditional protasis connectives. Drawing on qualitative and quantitative evidence from Chinese, this paper hypothesizes that such a directionality may arise through univerbation between dynamic modals and protasis connectives (e.g. ruò ‘if’ + néng ‘be able to’ > ruònéng ‘if’). Furthermore, this paper suggests that functional compatibility in terms of performativity may explain why dynamic modals tend to grammaticalize into connectives in pre-established conditional protases, while deontic and epistemic modals do so in main clauses.

Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.The classification of modality, modal > protasis connective and Chinese modals and protasis connectives
    • 2.1The classification of modality
    • 2.2 modal > protasis connective
    • 2.3 dynamic > protasis connective
    • 2.4Modal auxiliaries and protasis connectives under examination
  • 3.Data and methodology
  • 4.The main hypothesis
    • 4.1Quantitative evidence
    • 4.2Qualitative evidence
    • 4.3On the rarity of if-néng as a protasis connective
  • 5.Developmental difference between dynamic, deontic and epistemic modals
    • 5.1Clauses types in modal > protasis connective
    • 5.2(In)compatibilities between modals and protases
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
Published online: 7 April 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/fol.20030.kuo
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