Rationale
Political journalism captures global attention by informing readers about political situations and significant events worldwide Reporters utilize their expertise to convey news through personal observations, interviews, and quotes from politicians As noted by Baym (2005), the distinction between entertainment and factual news can often blur in political reporting Morrissey (2016) highlights that political journalism frequently incorporates opinion journalism, allowing for biased perspectives on current events.
Reporters utilize language strategies to enhance the newsworthiness of their stories, aiming to capture audience attention As noted by Spolsky (1998), "language is regularly used in the exercise of political power." Given the multitude of political events and the variety of media platforms, it has become increasingly challenging for news reporters to engage audiences and influence their perspectives Consequently, language serves as a powerful tool for reporters in crafting compelling narratives Thus, understanding political news requires readers to be knowledgeable not only about current political contexts but also about how language is structured to convey objective insights.
Linguistic devices play a crucial role in making newsworthy content that captures audience attention and influences perceptions A key method employed by reporters is modality, which reflects the speaker's attitude or opinion regarding the information presented, as defined by Palmer (1986) Modality can be conveyed through various linguistic expressions, including verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and other lexical forms Recent research has focused on modality markers, particularly modal verbs, highlighting their significance in linguistic studies Historically, there has been extensive examination of the characteristics and usage of English modal verbs in journalistic articles.
A specific group of verbs that appear between auxiliary and main verbs can serve as modal verbs due to their semantic characteristics Quirk et al (1985) categorize these as marginal auxiliaries, which include four types: marginal modals, modal idioms, semi-auxiliaries, and catenatives In this study, these are referred to as semi-modal verbs Other terms for semi-modal verbs include quasi-modals and periphrastic modals, highlighting their relationship to marginal auxiliaries and multi-word verbs that closely resemble modal verbs in meaning.
Despite the significant research on political discourse, particularly in areas like metaphor and hedging, there has been limited focus on semi-modal verbs, such as "have to" and "to be to." Studies by Mihas (2005), Bista (2009), Fraser (2010), and Nartey and Yankson (2014) have explored various elements of political communication, yet they often overlook the role of semi-modal verbs This research aims to fill that gap by examining how these verbs are utilized in political news reports and the meanings they convey, reflecting the intentions of both political news reporters and politicians to effectively communicate with their audiences.
This study investigates the use of semi-modal verbs in political news, focusing on their semantic aspects By analyzing their application, the research aims to uncover how these verbs influence the portrayal of political messages The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of language in the context of political discourse.
Aim and Objectives
This study explores the semantic meanings of semi-modal auxiliary verbs in CNN political news, aiming to reveal the speaker's attitudes and perspectives on various issues.
To fulfil the aim of the study, the following objectives are to be addressed:
To describe the different types of semi-modal verbs and the frequencies of usage of the types of semi - modal verbs in the political news collected from CNN website
To investigate the semantic values expressed by semi - modal verbs used in the political news from CNN website.
Research Questions
In order to achieve the aim, and the objectives mentioned above, the research questions are set as follows:
1 What types and the frequencies of the semi - modal verbs are used in the political news collected from CNN website?
2 What are the semantic features interpreted of semi - modal verbs used in the political news collected from CNN website?
Scope of the Study
This study investigates the various types and semantic characteristics of semi-modal verbs, including marginal modals, modal idioms, semi-auxiliaries, and catenatives, as utilized in political news reports sourced from the CNN website.
In 2018, a corpus-based study was conducted to analyze semi-modal devices using TexSTAT-2 software, which is favored by prominent researchers like Facchinetti, Krug, and Palmer The study employs the semantic feature criteria established by Quirk et al (1985) and focuses specifically on the types and semantic features of semi-modal verbs found in English political news reports.
CNN, or Cable News Network, is a pioneering American paid television channel known for being the first all-news channel in the U.S It offers a wide range of diverse political news coverage Due to time constraints and the fast-paced nature of online updates, the researcher was unable to encompass all political news from the website Therefore, the thesis focuses on an analysis of 30 political news newsletters collected between November 2018 and January 2019.
Significant of the Study
This thesis represents the first comprehensive examination of semi-modal expressions and their semantic properties within political news sourced from CNN It aims to significantly enhance the understanding of the semantic meanings associated with semi-modals in political discourse, contributing valuable insights to both the field of political communication and the study of the English language.
This article provides a comprehensive overview of semi-modals, detailing their types and semantic meanings to enhance their effective use It outlines methods for exploring the various meanings of semi-modals, enabling speakers to convey their intended messages accurately The research findings aim to help learners proficiently utilize semi-modal verbs to express diverse meanings, particularly in the context of political news Additionally, this study serves as a valuable resource for teachers, English learners, and linguistics enthusiasts, deepening their understanding of the language.
Organization of the Study
The thesis is organized into five chapters as follows:
Chapter 1 Introduction: introduces the rationale, aims and objectives, the scope of the study, the research questions, and the design of the study
Chapter 2 Literature Review and Theoretical Background: deals with the literature review, presents the previous studies related to the work, and the theoretical background related to this study
Chapter 3 Research Method: mentions on the research methodology, research procedures, data collection, data analysis, reliability and validity
Chapter 4 Finding and Discussion: gives the findings of the study and discussion is made based on the research results
Chapter 5 Conclusions and Implications: summarizes the conclusions and some implications of the research, gives the limitations and suggestions for the further study.
Literature Review
Recent studies on semi-modal verbs have focused on their semantic and grammatical theories within the realm of historical linguistics In recent years, the exploration of modality in political discourse has gained traction, particularly from a pragmatic perspective, leading to numerous research efforts that examine the semantic aspects of modals in this context.
In his 2007 analysis, Boicu examines Mote's 2006 political speech, focusing on the speaker's use of modal verbs and their semantic and pragmatic implications The modal verbs identified fall into two main semantic categories: deontic and epistemic These verbs serve dual purposes in the speech, employing mitigation to soften the illocutionary force and propositional content, while also utilizing intensification to enhance both aspects This strategic use of language contributes to the overall politeness of the speech.
In Mote's speeches, the use of the modal verb 'might' exemplifies a mitigation politeness strategy, indicating uncertainty rather than the stronger 'must' or 'may.' While 'must' conveys obligation or prohibition and serves as a strong deontic marker, Mote predominantly employs softer modals like 'should' and 'need to' to soften his statements Additionally, the only clear use of 'can't' reflects his epistemic stance This mitigation strategy is instrumental in protecting the faces of Mote's political allies, while the aggravating strategy is strategically deployed to undermine his political opponents.
Shayegh (2012) identifies two dimensions of modality: relational modality and expressive modality, which reflect the orientation of authority Relational modality pertains to how the authority of one participant interacts with others, while expressive modality focuses on the speaker's or writer's authority regarding the truth or likelihood of reality Analyzing these dimensions in the context of King's speech reveals significant insights into the use of authority in communication.
In his 1967 speech, King employs a range of modal auxiliary verbs, predominantly using MUST to seek the approval and cooperation of his audience, while utilizing WILL to express his evaluation of events as truths Similarly, in Obama's 2010 interviews, WILL is frequently used to assert the expressive modality, framing various events as factual matters.
Khalid and Zhang (Khalid & Zhang, 2013) illustrate the frequency of modal verbs as they occurred in the political speech delivered by the President
In analyzing Obama's political speech, the use of modal verbs such as "Can," "Will," and "Must" serves as a crucial tool for expressing requests These verbs predominantly appear in declarative and interrogative sentences, where their intended meanings may contrast with their surface structure, resulting in indirect speech acts This indirect approach is vital in political discourse, reflecting the complexities of political contexts and the importance of international relations The speaker employs politeness strategies through illocutionary speech acts, enhancing the effectiveness of their requests.
Milkovich and Sitarica (2017) highlight that epistemic modality serves as a tool for politicians to navigate political discourse while evading full accountability for their statements This linguistic approach aims to convince voters of the reasonableness of their claims, often lacking solid evidence Epistemic modality involves the use of modal verbs and auxiliaries, allowing speakers to express opinions without making definitive assertions It acts as a hedging device, enabling politicians to sidestep direct answers during interviews, particularly in political contexts.
Vietnamese researchers have conducted various studies on modality and modal markers, exploring their semantic, syntactic, and pragmatic dimensions across different genres, including political speeches, short stories, and conversations.
Pham Khac Thu (2010) explores the semantic and pragmatic features of modal expressions in the political speeches of US presidents The study analyzes modality markers from syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic viewpoints, highlighting how these markers convey varying degrees of certainty and engagement The findings reveal that a diverse array of modality markers is utilized in presidential speeches, reflecting their nuanced communicative intent.
US presidents' speeches reflect their interpersonal roles through the delivery of multi-dimensional messages, achieved by emphasizing the speaker, the content, or the audience These speeches utilize specific syntactic patterns to convey speaker-oriented, content-oriented, and hearer-oriented messages, effectively targeting different aspects of communication.
Ho Van Han (2015) analyzes the semantics and pragmatics of modality, distinguishing between two key types: epistemic and deontic modality Epistemic modality reflects the speaker's judgment regarding the truth of a statement or their commitment to the utterance, while deontic modality pertains to the obligations or permissions the speaker hopes to impose on themselves or the listener.
Bui Thi Dao's research (2015) analyzes deontic modality in directive expressions within research articles By examining 100 e-book stories in both English and Vietnamese, she conducted a contrastive analysis to identify the similarities and differences in how deontic modality is expressed in these two languages Her findings reveal that the linguistic means for expressing deontic modality can vary significantly, highlighting the lack of equivalences in sentence or utterance particles between Vietnamese and English.
Despite extensive research on modal verbs and modality, there is a notable gap in studies specifically examining semi-modal verbs and their semantic features in political news This thesis aims to address this research gap.
Theoretical Background
Modality in linguistics is interpreted through various perspectives, with Bybee (1985) defining it as the speaker's engagement with the entire proposition Halliday (1985) further elaborates that modality encompasses the speaker's assessment of probabilities and obligations related to their statements.
According to Quirk et al (1985), modality refers to how the meaning of a clause is modified to convey the speaker's assessment of the probability that the proposition it expresses is true.
According to Palmer (Palmer, 1986), modality is pointed out as
Semantic information reflects the speaker's attitude or opinion regarding the statement made According to Frawley and Charles (1992), modality is a semantic phenomenon that conveys the speaker's attitude and their level of knowledge concerning a proposition.
In general, from the linguists‘ viewpoints, the notions of modality are not different Modality is understood as a semantic category associated with the speaker‘s attitude or opinion towards the worlds
Regarding the classification of modality, the categorization criteria also differ according to the linguists
According to Perkins (Perkin, 1983), modality is defined as the representation of either rational, social or natural laws referring to respectively (1) epistemic, (2) deontic, and (3) dynamic modality
Huddleston (Huddleston, 1984) classifies modality into three different types: epistemic modality, deontic modality and dynamic modality
(1) Epistemic modality expresses the knowledge of the speaker about the world
(2) Deontic modality calls for an action to be taken
(3) Dynamic modality indicates that the capable of an individual is to do a certain action when the particular circumstances arise
Palmer (Palmer, 1990) distinguishes three types of modality in modal systems:
Epistemic modality reflects the speaker's assessment of a proposition's truth based on available evidence and knowledge, highlighting their attitude towards the statement.
(2) Deontic modality involves expressing the speaker‘s attitude toward the actions, namely what is obligatory, permitted or forbidden
(3) Dynamic modality refers to the ability and the volition of the subject of the sentence
Radden et al., (Radden, Kopcke, Berg, & Siemund, 2007) distinguish two major categories of modality:
Root modality consists of three types: disposition, intrinsic, and deontic modality Intrinsic modality focuses on the inherent necessity and possibility related to the qualities of an object and its circumstances In contrast, disposition modality addresses the tendencies or inclinations of entities in specific situations.
‗ability‘, ‗propensity‘, and ‗willingness‘ Deontic modality refers to obligation and permission
(2) Epistemic modality is defined as in tradition including necessity and possibility
In this study, the semantic characteristics are focused on the categorization criterion of modality according to the work of Quirk et al.,
(1985); therefore, the other categories are not investigated further The authors distinguish two categories of modality
Quirk et al., (1985) state that all modal verbs have intrinsic modality and extrinsic modality
Intrinsic modality pertains to the human control over events, specifically focusing on concepts such as permission, obligation, and volition It plays a significant role in shaping the semantic content of propositions As defined by Biber et al (1999), intrinsic modality encompasses actions and events that are directly influenced by humans or other agents, reflecting meanings associated with intention and agency.
Extrinsic modality focuses on human judgment regarding the likelihood of events rather than direct control over them It encompasses concepts such as possibility, necessity, and prediction, reflecting the speaker's attitude towards the proposition's content This type of modality is categorized as extra-propositional, as noted by Biber et al (1999, p 485).
―refers to the logical status of events or states, usually relating to assessments of likelihood: possibility, necessity, or prediction‖
2.2.2 Definition and types of semi-modal verbs
According to Huddleston and Pullum (2002), English verbs are categorized into two primary classes: lexical verbs and auxiliary verbs, based on their inflectional morphology and syntax Auxiliary verbs are further divided into two subclasses: modal auxiliary verbs, which include "can," "may," "will," "shall," "could," "must," "ought to," and "need," and non-modal auxiliary verbs.
Semi-modal auxiliary verbs, also referred to as marginal modal verbs, are defined by Alexander (1988) as verbs that can function similarly to modal auxiliary verbs This category includes verbs such as dare, need, used to, and ought to, which are always followed by the base form of the main verb While they are used alongside main verbs, these semi-modal verbs cannot stand alone as main verbs.
Marginal verbs, as defined by Palmer (1987), encompass verbs that serve similar functions They are categorized into two classes: primary verbs, which include 'have,' 'do,' and 'be,' and semi-modal verbs like 'dare,' 'need,' 'ought to,' and 'used to.' Both categories function as auxiliaries and main verbs, with primary verbs acting as full verbs in sentences when not accompanied by other verbs.
Verbs can be categorized into three main types: full verbs, primary verbs, and modal auxiliary verbs, based on their functions within verb phrases (Quirk et al., 1985) These categories exist on a gradient, with modal auxiliaries at one end and full verbs that can take a non-finite clause as an object at the other Additionally, there are intermediate verb categories that exhibit characteristics of both auxiliaries and main verbs.
The following table illustrates this gradient scale The focus of this study will be on the verbs including which are semantically closest to the central modals
Table 2.1 The auxiliary verb-main verb scale (Quirk et al., 1985)
(a) CENTRAL MODALS can, could, may, might, shall should, will/’ll, would/’d, must
(b) MARGINAL MODALS dare, need, ought to, used to
(c) MODAL IDIOMS had better, would rather/ sooner be to, have got to, etc
(d) SEMI-AUXILIARIES have to, be about to, be able to, be bound to, be going to, be obliged to, be supposed to, be willing to, etc
(e) CATENATIVES appear to, happen to, seem to, get+ -ed participle, keep + - ing participle, etc
(f) MAIN VERB + nonfinite clause hope + to - infinitive begin + -ing participle, etc
The groups of verbs exhibit similarities to modal verbs while also sharing traits with main verbs, categorized into four types: marginal modals, modal idioms, semi-auxiliaries, and catenatives Quirk et al (1985) refer to these as "marginal auxiliaries." This article explores these verb categories, collectively termed "semi-modal verbs."
Marginal modal (verb) is defined as ―a verb that is, formally, partly like a modal verb and partly like a lexical verb, also called semi-modal auxiliary‖
According to Quirk et al (1985, p.138), marginal modals are verbs that closely resemble central modal auxiliaries These marginal modal verbs can be viewed as central modals, and they also have a homophonic counterpart that functions as a main verb.
The word "dare" can function both as a main verb and as an auxiliary verb It has an infinitive form that can appear with or without the word "to."
1 He dared to escape (Quirk et al., 1985, p.138)
2 No one dare predict the result (ibid )
Dare is primarily utilized in negative and interrogative forms rather than positive statements When used as a main verb, the negative constructions include "do not dare," "does not dare," and "did not dare," but it can also appear as "dare not" or "dared not" when functioning as an auxiliary verb In interrogative sentences, "do" or "did" can be combined with dare, as illustrated in various examples.
4 They do not dare ask for more (ibid)
5 Do they dare ask for more? (ibid)
Theoretical framework
This study analyzes semi-modal verbs, categorized according to the concept of marginal auxiliaries as outlined by Quirk et al (1985) The various types of verbs presented serve as the primary framework for this analysis.
Table 2.4: Types of semi-modal verbs in English (Quirk et al , 1985) Types of semi-modal verbs
1 Marginal verbs dare, need, ought to, used to
2 Modal idioms had better, would rather, have got to, be to
3 Semi - auxiliaries be able to, be unable to, be bound to, be likely to, be unlikely to, be supposed to, be about to, be due to, be meant to, be willing to, be unwilling to, be apt to, be going to, be obliged to, have to
4 Catenative verb constructions appear to, come to, fail to, get to, happen to, manage to, seem to, tend to, turn out to, get + ed participle, keep + ing participle
Summary
This chapter provides a concise overview of previous research, definitions, classifications, and the semantic aspects of semi-modal verbs pertinent to the current study The foundational concepts are grounded in the theory proposed by Quirk et al (1985) Detailed findings from this theory-based analysis will be discussed in Chapter 4.
Research Design
This descriptive study aims to gather qualitative insights by analyzing data collected from political news, in alignment with the objectives and research questions outlined in sections 1.2 and 1.3 of chapter 1.
According to Ethridge (2004, p.24), the descriptive method is defined as the effort to determine, describe, or identify existing conditions This type of research aims to illuminate current issues or problems through comprehensive data collection, allowing for a more thorough description of the situation than would be possible without this approach Consequently, the descriptive method is a highly effective tool for data investigation and can incorporate both qualitative and quantitative elements.
This research was carried out with the following methods:
The study utilized a descriptive method alongside qualitative and quantitative analysis to explore various types of semi-modals, guided by the theoretical framework established in the background section This approach involved identifying suitable samples and subsequently gathering valid and reliable data from these selected samples.
This study conducts a qualitative analysis to explore the various types of semi-modal verbs and their semantic meanings in political news, following the classification established by Quirk et al (1985).
- After the qualitative analysis, the data are then quantitatively analyzed to identify the frequency of semi-modal verbs used in the political news
In this research, the descriptive method facilitates access to political news and the analysis of semi-modal verbs within the data Based on these findings, qualitative analysis uncovers the semantic values of these verbs, while quantitative approaches provide statistical insights into their occurrence frequencies.
Data Collection
This research utilized a corpus-based analysis grounded in the theoretical framework established by Quirk et al (1985) to classify and explore the semantic meanings of semi-modal verbs.
According to Baker (1996), a corpus is defined as a collection of texts stored electronically, allowing for automatic or semi-automatic analysis The corpus-based method represents a novel research area focused on the analysis of authentic text corpora using computer software.
Utilizing a corpus-based method allows researchers to analyze a vast sample of texts, making it an effective approach for counting occurrences and frequency of usage in this study.
The study was conducted with the analysis of the corpus consisting of
Here are the important sentences rewritten for SEO compliance:The article consists of 30 pieces of political news, totaling 32,848 words, sourced randomly from CNN Politics between November 2018 and January 2019 These news pieces vary in length and provide a comprehensive overview of political events during this period The size of the corpus is balanced, allowing for complete reading and understanding of the content.
This study focuses on examining various types of semi-modal verbs and analyzing their semantic meanings It highlights how the choice of semi-modal verbs can reveal attitudes toward events and the actors involved Consequently, political news serves as the primary data source for this research.
Table 3.1: The corpus of 30 pieces of political news
No The title of the political news Date No of words
Trump shocks with racist new ad days before midterms
The week Donald Trump went nuclear on immigration
Trump, Obama square off in whirlwind weekend before midterm elections
Women and LGBT candidates make history in 2018 midterms
5 7 takeaways from election night 2018 November 7, 2018 1409
6 A divided Congress, a divided America November 7, 2018 1358 7
For Trump, there's no easy way out of his funk
China makes opening bid to US on trade ahead of Trump-Xi meeting
The President's company braces for
10 Yes, 2018 was a massive Democratic wave Here's proof
Congress weighs two-week extension ahead of government shutdown deadline
12 Republicans are totally ignoring the 2018 election
Why the case for election fraud in North
Trump signals US won't punish Saudi crown prince over Khashoggi killing
Trump sets 'terrible precedent' by crossing red line on Huawei case
Trump torpedoes funding bill over border wall
Mulvaney: 'Very possible' shutdown goes into 2019
President Trump and first lady Melania
Trump make surprise visit to Iraq
House Democrats scooping up staff, lawyers to power Trump investigations
Graham: Trump still wants to leave
Syria, but will revaluate plan to attack
21 Brace yourself for an ugly political brawl January 1, 2019 1617
22 Federal employees prepare for a long January 2, 2019 1247 shutdown
Trump told lawmakers he prefers word
'strike' to government shutdown, sources say
Millions could lose food assistance, including school lunches, if shutdown drags on
Democrats' move to reopen government
Trump says he had 'great conversation' with Putin, calls media reports 'nonsense'
Trump is fraying nerves inside the
Shutdown debacle leaves Trump with stark choices
Pence, Ivanka, Kushner no-show as
Mattis gets standing ovation at elite DC dinner
Hundreds of migrants cross Arizona border after 'several busloads' dropped off in Mexico
In this section, a process is conducted to extract the data from a 32538 word corpus as follows:
The article discusses four types of semi-modal verbs, including dare, need, ought to, and used to, which are categorized as marginal verbs To conduct a lexical analysis, the author utilizes the TexSTAT-2 program, a tool that counts the frequency of specific verbs across 30 political news articles, providing insights through string matching and concordance analysis.
The corpus efficiently lists the frequency of each verb and illustrates the contexts in which semi-modal verbs are used This allows researchers to easily extract speeches and statements that feature various semi-modals An example of a semi-modal verb is depicted in Figure 3.1.
Figure 3.1: String matching of HAVE TO in the corpus
Upon completion of data processing, the results are saved for subsequent classification and analysis The researcher identifies 156 cases involving semi-modal verbs from the corpus, which includes 15 instances of marginal verbs, 7 occurrences of modal idioms, 103 applications of semi-auxiliaries, and 31 examples of catenative verbs.
To collect the data, the following steps are carried out:
- Identifying the appropriate data concerning to the semi-modal verbs
- Deciding the source of data comprising the political news collected from the website: https://edition.cnn.com/politics
- Selecting the source of data by using Google search engine
- Building the corpus consisting of 30 political news
- Identifying the different formality of the semi-modal verbs in the view of comprehensive grammar of Quirk et al (1985)
- Extracting the data from a 32538-word corpus by using a tool for named TexSTAT-2 program
- Discussing the semantic features expressed by semi-modal verbs
The qualitative analysis of the data was guided by the theoretical framework established in chapter two, focusing on the semantic features of semi-modal verbs This examination highlights the relationship between the writer or speaker and the reader, emphasizing how the use of semi-modal verbs conveys pragmatic information effectively.
Qualitative approaches were employed to analyze the semantic characteristics of semi-modal verbs, revealing their ability to convey different meanings across various contexts Additionally, it was found that multiple semi-modal verbs can be utilized within a specific context, highlighting their versatility in expression.
The study utilized quantitative techniques to analyze the distribution of various semi-modal verbs in the samples, providing insights into their occurrence patterns.
Reliability and Validity
The research quality is upheld by rigorously comparing collected data samples with theoretical frameworks Only linguistic expressions that align with the classifications of semi-modal verbs are chosen for analysis, ensuring a focused and relevant examination.
The data collected on semi-modal verbs was deemed reliable due to minimal variation from the sample, adhering strictly to the established theoretical framework and criteria outlined in Chapter Two This framework guided the examination of the linguistic features of the semi-modal verbs, ensuring the research's reliability and validity by thoroughly following the principles set forth in the theoretical background.
Summary
This chapter outlines the research methodology, detailing data collection methods, sample selection, and procedures It also discusses data analysis techniques and addresses the reliability and validity of the thesis Furthermore, it provides essential preparations for the findings and discussions that will be presented in Chapter Four.
Marginal verbs
Using the lexical analysis tool TextSTAT 2, the analysis revealed that marginal verbs are identified through related concordance searches As indicated in Table 4.1, marginal verbs rank as the third most frequently used category, appearing in 15 instances, which accounts for 9.7% of the total.
%) of the occurrences of three verbs dare, need, and used to in the political news in order to express modality
Table 4.1 shows that dare appears three times accounting for 1.95% In all three cases, dare is used in positives and followed by to-infinitive
The semantic meanings expressed by dare can be the possibility or the ability meanings
In example (4.1), dare shows the judgement about the possibility of
(4.1) Two years after the trauma of Trump's shock defeat of Hillary Clinton, Democrats could dare to dream again
Nevertheless, dare in the following instance (4.1) is used to express the ability of the President on doing something
For the President, negotiating a real agreement with Democrats presents a significant challenge, as it necessitates making concessions that could potentially alienate his fiercely loyal political supporters.
The term "dare" is applied in three contexts, with two instances reflecting human judgment regarding the current political strength of the Democrats and one instance assessing the President's capabilities Consequently, the modality conveyed by "dare" is categorized as extrinsic.
Table 4.1 reveals that the marginal verb "need" appears 11 times, constituting 7.04% of the data This verb signifies both obligation and necessity, allowing it to convey intrinsic and extrinsic meanings As illustrated in examples (4.3) and (4.4), "need" can express necessity, while examples (4.5) and (4.6) demonstrate its use in indicating obligation.
In instance (4.3), need expresses that the numbers of the seats in the
House are necessary to be taken control by Democrats While the necessity is about the majority to convict a president such as in (4.4)
(4.3) Democrats could win more than 30 seats in the House, above the net gain of 23 seats that they needed to take control for the first time in eight years
(4.4) Though the Republican gains in the Senate make it even less likely that there would be a two-thirds majority needed to convict a president and evict him from office
Intrinsic modality is illustrated in examples (4.5) and (4.6), where the combination of "need" with the pronoun "we" conveys a sense of obligation This usage emphasizes that humans must actively engage in the process for actions to occur By employing "we," the speaker inclusively identifies with the audience, promoting politeness and minimizing direct power dynamics when articulating obligations.
(4.5) “We need to keep our troops there.”
(4.6) “We just need to be able to provide more,” said Radha Muthiah, the food bank's CEO
The phrase "used to" followed by a bare infinitive appears rarely in the corpus, accounting for only 0.65%, indicating that it is not a preferred construction This expression conveys temporal meanings, specifically referring to past situations or states that are no longer true, as illustrated in example (4.7).
Democrats are anticipated to achieve significant victories in the House, potentially gaining majority control, while also reclaiming governors' offices and state legislatures that the GOP previously utilized to manipulate district boundaries and implement voting laws that secured their congressional dominance during Obama's presidency.
In the realm of marginal verbs, "need" is the most frequently used, conveying both extrinsic and intrinsic meanings Conversely, "dare" exclusively expresses extrinsic modality, tied to human evaluations of circumstances Lastly, "used to" appears infrequently, serving to indicate temporal meanings.
Modal idioms
According to Table 4.1, modal idioms represent the least utilized category among the four types of semi-modals, appearing in only 7 cases (4.5%) In the analysis of 30 selected political news articles, only two modal idioms—"be to" and "have got to"—were identified, indicating that political reporters infrequently employ modal idioms in their writing.
The construction "be to" encompasses various tense forms, including "be to," "is to," and "were to," each followed by a bare infinitive The search results illustrating these constructions are presented in Figures 4.5, 4.6, and 4.7.
From Table 4.1, be to is found with 6 cases accounting for 3.86% and appears in the present tense form or the past tense form
The semantic features of "be to" indicate that its modality is primarily extrinsic, expressing future possibilities For instance, in example (4.8), the speaker evaluates the likelihood of a specific potential pitfall.
(4.8) One potential pitfall for Democrats will be to hold Trump to account without being seen as overreaching
In examples (4.9) and (4.10), the phrase "be to" is utilized within conditional sentences, indicating a hypothesis regarding the existence of certain events This usage highlights the logical relationship associated with these events.
(4.9) Going forward, he would have to adopt a fundamental change of approach if he is to wring money for his border wall from Congress …
(4.10) This means that even if one part of the case were to fall apart, there would be still be reason to believe that the election wasn't on the level
The phrase "be to" primarily conveys extrinsic modality, reflecting human judgment regarding the potential actions of agents in various events.
The modal idiom "have got to" appears only once in the data, accounting for 0.65% of usage This expression typically conveys a sense of obligation or necessity and is more frequently found in conversational contexts In the provided example, "have got to" demonstrates intrinsic modality, as it indicates that the agent, "You," is required to perform a specific action.
(4.11) “… You've got to watch them, you have to separate them from non-family members, you only have so much detention space,” he said
Modal idioms are infrequently used to convey modal meanings, with "be to" being the most common, primarily indicating temporal meaning and extrinsic modality Consequently, it can be concluded that political reporters rarely utilize modal idioms to express modal meanings in political news.
Semi-auxiliaries
Table 4.1 reveals that semi-auxiliaries are the most prevalent group, comprising 102 devices and accounting for 65.8% of the total These constructions are utilized in a diverse range of 11 types, highlighting their popularity in conveying attitudes and opinions within political news Semi-auxiliaries effectively express two modalities—intrinsic and extrinsic—by communicating various modal meanings, including obligation, necessity, permission, volition, and temporal aspects.
Table 4.1 indicates that "have to" is a frequently used semi-modal, appearing 25 times and accounting for 16.1% of usage Unlike the modal "must," "have to" conveys obligation and necessity across future, present, and past tenses.
The term "have to" conveys not only a sense of obligation but also reflects intrinsic modality, highlighting human control over actions and events This dual meaning is exemplified in instances (4.12), (4.13), and (4.14).
(4.12) “More importantly, we have to take care of our people…”
(4.13) “I fully realize we have to deal with bad actors and imperfect situations on the international stage,” he said
(4.14) House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi told reporters on Friday, saying “we have to” when asked if Congress would avert a shutdown
The term "have to" indicates a necessity based on the speaker's judgment regarding what is deemed essential This is illustrated in examples (4.15), (4.16), and (4.17), where extrinsic modality is evident, highlighting the human assessment of the likelihood of events.
During a visit to Al Asad Air Base, President Trump emphasized the need for financial compensation, stating, “If they want us to do the fighting, they also have to pay a price,” alongside his wife, Melania Trump.
(4.16) “Pretty sad when you spend $7 trillion in the Middle East and going in has to be under this massive cover,” he said
(4.17) “The Mueller investigation has to be protected, absolutely,” said Rep Pramila Jayapal, a Washington state Democrat
"Have to" is primarily used in direct speech to convey the speaker's attitude and opinion with precision It signifies intrinsic meaning in 18 instances, indicating the obligation of the action's agents, while it conveys extrinsic meaning in 7 cases, highlighting the necessity of certain events.
The phrases "is able to," "was able to," and "were able to," followed by a bare infinitive, along with their negative form "be unable to," have been identified with 12 occurrences According to Table 4.1, "be able to" constitutes 7.7% of the total usage This construction can be utilized after another modal verb or in the past tense.
When examining semantic characteristics, it is essential to focus on expressing extrinsic modality, particularly the concept of possibility, as illustrated in examples (4.18) and (4.19) In example (4.18), the phrase "be able to" conveys the agent's potential to perform an action, highlighting the nuances of possibility in communication.
‗the two sides‘ in reaching the agreement
(4.18) … the two sides will be able to strike a framework agreement in the two weeks ahead of the G20 summit.…
In example (4.19), be able to appears in the past tense form and indicate the possibility of the subject ‗the Environmental Protection Agency and Smithsonian museums‘ in using other funds
(4.19) …the Environmental Protection Agency and Smithsonian museums were able to use other funds to remain open for the first week of the shutdown
Table 4.1 reveals that the phrase "be going to" appears 33 times in the corpus, making it the most frequently used semi-auxiliary verb at 21.3% This construction is utilized in various forms, including "is going to," "are going to," "am going to," "was going to," and "were going to."
The phrase "be going to" encompasses both intrinsic and extrinsic modality, as it conveys future plans, intentions, predictions, and obligatory commands.
The phrase "be going to" is commonly employed in direct statements by politicians and interviewees to underscore their decisions or intentions For instance, in example (4.20), "are going to" reflects Trump's prediction, while in example (4.21), it conveys a sense of ability.
(4.20) “A lot of people are going to come around to my way of thinking,” Trump predicted
(4.21) “How are you going to convince President Trump to do that?”, Bash asked
While, the modality expressed by is going to shown in example (4.22) is volition of the President in securing the border
Mick Mulvaney, the acting chief of staff under Trump, stated on "Fox News Sunday" that the President is committed to securing the border by any means necessary.
The phrase "be going to" can express predictions based on human judgment regarding the likelihood of events For instance, in example (4.23), the subject "you" is anticipated to take action, while example (4.24) illustrates Trump's forecast about the emergence of his perspective.
(4.23) “If you're going to do it, the way to do it is make the Chinese come to us,” Reinsch said
(4.24) “A lot of people are going to come around to my way of thinking,” Trump predicted
The analysis reveals that "be due to" appears three times, yet only one instance is followed by a bare infinitive, classifying it as a semi-modal verb within the theoretical framework This single occurrence represents 0.65% of the total data.
The phrase "be due to" is commonly used to refer to events occurring at a specific time or future plans, conveying both temporal meaning and extrinsic modality For instance, in the example provided, the agent "he" is anticipated to take the action of "departing Friday afternoon," indicating a prediction that does not account for human control over the action.
(4.25) He is due to depart Friday afternoon for an extended holiday stay at his Mar-a-Lago estate in South Florida
Catenative verbs
Table 4.1 reveals that catenative verbs account for 31 hits, representing 19.9% of the total and ranking second among various verb constructions These verbs are utilized to convey modal meanings, including possibility and likelihood related to extrinsic modality, as well as obligation and permission that pertain to intrinsic modality and human control over events.
The phrase "appear to" can be used in both past and present tense forms, followed by a bare infinitive According to Figure 26, "appear to" accounts for 9 instances, representing 5.8% of the total, as detailed in Table 4.1.
Regarding to the semantic characteristics, appear to is one of catenative verbs expressing the modal meaning involving extrinsic or intrinsic modality
(4.40) But Democrats and Republicans appeared to be at an impasse over the President's promise of a border wall…
(4.41) The case for election fraud appears to be strong
(4.42) Graham appeared to acknowledge the effort's issues when he told CNN and other reporters, “I don't see a pathway forward,” after several days of talks
The phrase "appear to" reflects the status of both Democrats and Republicans, as demonstrated in example (4.40), while also indicating the likelihood of election outcomes in example (4.41) Additionally, in example (4.42), "appear to" conveys the possibility regarding Graham's situation.
On the other hand, appear to in instance (4.43) refers to omey‘s expectation in responding to Trump‘s tweet
(4.43) Comey appeared to respond to Trump's tweet…
The analysis reveals that the verb "seem" appears 17 times in the corpus, with the correct construction of "seem" followed by a bare infinitive identified in 4 instances This accounts for 2.6% of the total occurrences, as illustrated in Table 4.1.
The term "seem to" conveys extrinsic modality, indicating a sense of possibility that relies on human evaluation of situations or events This modal meaning is illustrated in the following examples.
(4.44) it seems to be a bid to drive up turnout in red state Senate races but might imply that tight House elections…
(4.45) … it seemed to backfire in key House races
Tend to is discovered with only one form of tends to followed by a bare-infinitive Based on Table 4.1, one occurrence of tend to accounts for
The phrase "tend to" is utilized to express possibility within the context of extrinsic modality For instance, in example (4.47), it conveys an assessment of likelihood that is linked to the president's family-owned business, rather than actions that are under human control.
(4.46) … the president's family-owned business, which tends to rely on a tight group of long time loyal executives and attorneys
The construction "get + ed-participle" and its past tense form "got + ed-participle" appear in 15 instances, as illustrated in Figures 4.26 and 4.27 As indicated in Table 4.1, these constructions account for 9.6% of the total devices analyzed.
The construction "get + ed-participle" serves as a passive auxiliary that conveys modal meanings, specifically expressing extrinsic modality This structure reflects the logical status of events and human judgments regarding likelihood, emphasizing how external factors influence the interpretation of actions.
In example (4.47), get resolved indicates the possibility of the issue
Similarly, get slaughtered in instance (4.48) refers to the status of the Kurds
(4.47) … how the issue would get resolved
(4.48) “ If we leave now, the Kurds are going to get slaughtered.”
Keep appears 17 times in the corpus, but the investigated construction keep + - ing participle is discovered with 2 cases Therefore, it only accounts for 1.35% as shown in Table 4.1
The catenative verb "keep" combined with the -ing participle conveys a sense of obligation modality, highlighting that actions are persistently performed under human control This is exemplified in examples (4.49) and (4.50), where the continuous nature of the actions is emphasized.
(4.49) many of the allegations in North Carolina keep circling back to Dowless
(4.50)… House Democrats plan to keep moving ahead with legislation to reopen government without new wall money
Catenative verbs, particularly the construction "get + ed participle," are frequently used to convey extrinsic modality, primarily indicating possibility Additionally, the phrase "appear to" is commonly employed in nine instances to express similar extrinsic modality Most catenative verbs reflect this notion, allowing readers to discern the speaker's judgment or human control through the modal meanings they convey.
Summary
This chapter provides a comprehensive analysis of the semantic features of four types of semi-modal verbs, based on data collected from political news on the CNN website using the TextSTAT-2 tool Semi-auxiliary verbs dominate usage among political reporters, accounting for 65.8% of instances to convey modality Catenative verbs follow, making up 20%, while marginal verbs represent 11.7% Modal idioms are the least utilized, comprising only 4.5% of modality expressions in political news The study identifies that these four types of semi-modal verbs are employed to express two forms of modality: intrinsic and extrinsic.
The article discusses semantic features in modality, highlighting that extrinsic modality, which reflects human judgment on likelihood, is conveyed through 87 expressions In contrast, intrinsic modality, denoting human control over events, is represented by 67 expressions Additionally, eight devices communicate temporal meanings Key verbs for expressing extrinsic modality include "be able to" and catenative verbs, while intrinsic modality is primarily indicated by "have to" and "be going to."