On Modal Adverbs in the English Language and Their Corresponding Forms in the Serbian Language

Abstract

This paper deals with a contrastive analysis of modal adverbs in the English language and their corresponding forms in the Serbian language. The analysis is based on an eclectic model, which represents a combination of the theory of metaphorical extension and the theory of modality as epistemic deixis. The paper focuses on combinations of modal adverbs and modal verbs in which the adverb modifies, complements or transforms the meaning of the verb. A modal adverb and a modal verb may be combined provided that they both express the same or similar modal meanings. A modal adverb and a modal verb from the opposite extremes of the epistemic scale cannot be combined because of collocational restrictions. The degree of modality expressed by modal adverbs may also be additionally intensified by other adverbs, which are called intensifiers. The analysis includes syntactic, semantic and pragmatic characteristics of modal adverbs. The contrastive analysis shows that English and Serbian are typologically similar languages.