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Lost in Change: Causes and processes in the loss of grammatical elements and constructions
Edited by Svenja Kranich and Tine Breban
[Studies in Language Companion Series 218] 2021
► pp. 261–290

Decline and loss in the modal domain in recent English

Decline and loss in the modal domain in recent English

| University of Bonn

Numerous corpus studies have firmly established that in recent English, most core modals (e.g. must) have been declining in frequency, while the semi-modals (e.g. have to) have been on the rise (cf. e.g. Krug 2000; Mair & Leech 2006; Leech & Smith 2006). The present paper follows the constructional approach to modal meaning taken by Cappelle and Depraetere (2016), who show that modals tend to occur in certain contexts with particular meaning. An investigation of a sample of may and must in COHA (1960s & 2000s) shows that the decline of the modals (and the foreshadowed loss of some) may be witnessed particularly in the demise of certain constructions. A close-up investigation shows the construction we + may + verb of speaking/reasoning is on its way to be lost. Relevant factors (genre, function, culture) are discussed and suggestions about the general implications of the loss of this particular construction will be presented.

Keywords: English modals, recent change, constructions, hedging, democratization
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Basic concepts and previous research
    • 2.1The functions of modal expressions
    • 2.2Frequency changes in the modal domain in recent English
      • 2.2.1General development and frequency changes
      • 2.2.2Frequency changes in the different semantic domains
      • 2.2.3Importance of genre
  • 3.Losses in the modal domain in recent English
    • 3.1 Decline and loss in COHA (with a focus on may and must)
      • 3.1.1General background
      • 3.1.2Data and methods
      • 3.1.3Quantitative findings and their implications
      • 3.1.4The role of individual modal constructions
    • 3.2The demise of the ‘we may say’-construction
      • 3.2.1General definition
      • 3.2.2Data and methods
      • 3.2.3Quantitative findings and their implications
  • 4.General discussion
  • 5.Concluding remarks and outlook
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 16 June 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.218.09kra
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