This study entails a first approach to epistemic modality in Woolf＇s essays. In particular, we will distinguish between assertive and non-assertive epistemic modality. Woolf uses assertive epistemic modality when tra...This study entails a first approach to epistemic modality in Woolf＇s essays. In particular, we will distinguish between assertive and non-assertive epistemic modality. Woolf uses assertive epistemic modality when transmitting her criticism to, sometimes, women＇s inferiority condition in history, revealing Woolf＇s more confident stance. These markers are different from those used in more ＂gentle＂ themes related to reviewing an author and her work. In this second case, non-assertive epistemic modality is more frequent. Being less harsh towards an author＇s surroundings and her literary production, Woolf＇s stance proves less self-assured. The corpus consists of 10 short essays. We also refer to her longer essays A Room of One＇s Own （1929） and Three Guineas 0938）. They were selected bearing in mind their subject-matter. Half of them deal with literature and women writers, their lives and works; the other half ones also have to do with women-related topics, but referring to their position in history and their difficulties to undertake, for example, a literary career. Some concluding remarks indicate the predominance of non-assertive epistemic modality in relation to an intersubjective reading of her texts. This reading favours the inclusion of her audience in her commentary about women writing.展开更多
文摘This study entails a first approach to epistemic modality in Woolf＇s essays. In particular, we will distinguish between assertive and non-assertive epistemic modality. Woolf uses assertive epistemic modality when transmitting her criticism to, sometimes, women＇s inferiority condition in history, revealing Woolf＇s more confident stance. These markers are different from those used in more ＂gentle＂ themes related to reviewing an author and her work. In this second case, non-assertive epistemic modality is more frequent. Being less harsh towards an author＇s surroundings and her literary production, Woolf＇s stance proves less self-assured. The corpus consists of 10 short essays. We also refer to her longer essays A Room of One＇s Own （1929） and Three Guineas 0938）. They were selected bearing in mind their subject-matter. Half of them deal with literature and women writers, their lives and works; the other half ones also have to do with women-related topics, but referring to their position in history and their difficulties to undertake, for example, a literary career. Some concluding remarks indicate the predominance of non-assertive epistemic modality in relation to an intersubjective reading of her texts. This reading favours the inclusion of her audience in her commentary about women writing.
