This course explores the meaning of predicates that express modality. We introduce a semantic model that allows us to analyze and distinguish modal meanings such as necessity and possibility, focussing on modal auxiliaries such as `might', `can' and `must' in the first part of the course. We then proceed to investigate the semantics of attitude and speech report verbs (`know', `believe', `say' etc.) and compare their behavior and meaning contribution.
Students will learn about `displacement' as a central design feature of human language as we address, among others, the following questions: By what means does grammar enable us to talk about non-actual situations and what are differences and commonalities between the relevant expressions? How can the semantics of modal displacement be formally modelled and how does it interact with syntax and pragmatics?
There are no specific prerequisites for this course, but some background knowledge in formal semantics will be helpful. |
