Modal particle: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:01, 2 July 2020

Revision as of 06:38, 18 December 2020

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In [[linguistics]], '''modal particles''' are always [[uninflected word]]s, and are a type of [[grammatical particle]]. They are used to indicate how the speaker thinks that the content of the sentence relates to the participants' [[grounding in communication|common knowledge]]<ref>Fabian Bross (2012): [http://helikon-online.de/2012/Bross_Particles.pdf German modal particles and the common ground]. In: Helikon. A Multidisciplinary Online Journal, 2. 182-209.</ref> or add mood to the meaning of the sentence.<ref name="Zichtbaar Nederlands">{{Cite web|url=https://zichtbaarnederlands.nl/zn/bijwoord-modale_partikels.php?taal=en|title=Modal particles: even, eens, nou, maar, misschien, ...|last=|first=|date=November 29, 2018|website=Zichtbaar Nederlands|access-date=}}</ref> Languages that use many modal particles in their spoken form include [[Dutch language|Dutch]], [[Danish language|Danish]], [[German language|German]], [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]], [[Russian language|Russian]], [[Telugu language|Telugu]], [[Nepali language|Nepali]], [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]], [[Chinese language|Chinese]] and [[Japanese language|Japanese]].<ref>[https://archive.today/20120219220327/http://dutchcentre.group.shef.ac.uk/advanced.dutch.grammar/mod_par.php?PHPSESSID=c40f574d03dcb5ffb37b8e924fde3caaAdvanced Dutch Grammar:politeness - Beleefdheid Modal particle - Modale partikels] retrieved 2009-01-01 and [https://books.google.com/books?id=Q7MVBgAAQBAJ&pg=PT3&lpg=PT3&dq=modal+particles+chinese&source=bl&ots=treIAN1LOu&sig=uNoqM32peFpcRG3_SU9exkf13ik&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAjgKahUKEwiG_6DZwpDHAhXDcD4KHafsCuM#v=onepage&q=modal%20particles%20chinese&f=false Modal Particles By Keith Robinson, Wang Lingli] retrieved 2015-08-04</ref> The [[untranslatability|translation is often not straightforward]] and depends on the context.

==Examples==

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Modal particles may be combined to indicate mood in a very precise way. In this combination of six modal particles the first two emphasise the command, the second two are toning down the command, and the final two transform the command into a request:

* ''Luister '''dan nu''''' '''''toch maar''''' '''''eens even'''''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/_for004198701_01/_for004198701_01_0036.php|title=Forum der Letteren. Jaargang 1987 · dbnl|last1=Hulshof|first1=H.|website=DBNL|publisher=dbnl|language=nl|accessdateaccess-date=27 July 2019}}</ref> ("Listen + at this moment + now + just + ''will you?'' + only once + only for a while", meaning: "Just Listen, will you?")

Because of this progressive alteration these modal particles cannot move around freely when stacked in this kind of combination. However, some other modal particles can be added to the equation on any given place, such as '''gewoon''', '''juist''', '''trouwens.''' Also, replacing the "imperative weakener" '''maar''' by '''gewoon''' (indicating normalcy or acceptable behavior), changes the mood of the sentence completely, now indicating utter frustration with someone who is failing to do something very simple: