情态的系统功能语言学考量

Reflections on Modality in Systemic Functional Grammar

本文从系统功能语法的情态理论出发,集中探讨情态与极性的关系、情态的基本特征、能力/潜力性情态和经常性情态的归属4个问题。分析表明,极性在功能语法中有两种解读,情态是介于绝对的断言与否认、规定与禁止这两极之间的意义;主观性是功能语法情态的一个基本特征;能力与潜力性情态在功能语法情态系统中属于意态,具备主观性特征;经常性情态不表达说话人对命题可能性的主观判断,不应当列入功能语法的情态范畴。

This paper adopts a systemic functional approach to examine the relationship between modality and polarity, the essential characteristic of modality in systemic functional grammar, and the status of ability/potentiality and usuality in modal system. The analysis shows that polarity can be interpreted in two ways in systemic functional grammar and modality is the intermediate ground between positive and negative poles of asserting and denying, prescribing and proscribing; subjectivity is the essential characteristic of modality in systemic functional grammar; expressions of ability/potentiality belong to the subcategory of modulation and encode subjectivity; and expressions of usuality don’t convey the speaker’s judgment of the possibilities and thus should not be subsumed under types of modality.