In:Possibility and Necessity: Concepts and expressions of modality
Edited by Jean Albrespit, Christelle Lacassain and Tracey Simpson
[Studies in Language Companion Series 237] 2025
► pp. 235–251
Interroger la modalité à partir des verbes modaux danois
Article language: French
Published online: 4 November 2025
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.237.10van
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.237.10van
Abstract
This paper focuses on salient features of Danish modal verbs, either on their own or
in contrast to their English or French equivalents. A selection of lexical, morphological, syntactic, or logical
features provides an overview of the Danish modal system: the highly developed organisation of modals, the expression
of possibility and necessity by the same verb, the existence of a subjective/objective mood, the logical-syntactic
articulation of the sentence with modalities, and the temporal form of epistemic modal verbs.
These characteristics make clear that the systematic organisation of modal verbs in
Danish throws an original light on several core issues of modality. They also show that modal categories take part in
elaborate structural networks: it is therefore suggested that a problem as complex as modality requires a
semasiological approach.
Keywords: modality, epistemic modality, subjectivity, contrastive grammar, Danish
Article outline
- 1.Abstraction et systématisme
- 1.1Le possible et le nécessaire en un seul verbe
- 1.2Une marque formelle de la « subjectivité »
- 1.2.1Les deux passifs danois
- 1.2.2Combinaison de modaux et d’infinitifs passifs
- 1.2.3Redéfinition des grandes catégories modales
- 2.Tripartition de la phrase
- 2.1Organisation logique…
- 2.2… et syntaxique ?
- 3.Perfektum et modalité épistémique
- Conclusion
Remarques Références
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