MODAL PARTICLES  情態虛詞

Grammar [NOTE THAT THE GRAMMATICAL PARTICLES HAVE NOT BEEN FOCUSSED SO FAR IN THE SYSTEM AND NO SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS HAS BEEN APPLIED SO FAR.]MODAL PARTICLES are scope-bearing MODIFIERS that are taken to indicate the way the predications in their scope are to be understoodMODAL PARTICLES are scope-bearing grammaticalised words or expressions that are taken to indicate the way the predications in their scope are to be understood
Hypernym
  • MODAL MODIFIERS[NOTE THAT THE GRAMMATICAL PARTICLES HAVE NOT BEEN FOCUSSED SO FAR IN THE SYSTEM AND NO SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS HAS BEEN APPLIED SO FAR.]
    • PARTICLEA WORD that NOT VERBAL AND NOT NOMINAL. [NOTE THAT THE GRAMMATICAL PARTICLES HAVE NOT BEEN FOCUSSED SO FAR IN THE SYSTEM AND NO SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS HAS BEEN APPLIED SO FAR.]
      • WORDSOUND IMAGE of a CONCEPT. (Leibniz, Couturat p. 432)
        • SOUNDWHAT CAN be HEARD....
Modern Chinese Criteria
LU JIANMING

Old Chinese Criteria
也 is judgmental and judgmentally descriptive, never narrative: "it is the case that; the point is that"矣 narrative or narratively descriptive and marks to a currently new, currently relevant or currently conditioned narrative statement.已 is judgmental as well as emphatic or definitive: "definitively!, definitely"而已 is decisive and exclusive of alternatives: "and that is all".耳 is a less emphatic 而已.爾 is a scribal variant for 耳 and writes the same word.哉 is emphatic and marks emotionally charged statements: "!".夫 =否乎 is tentative and marks statements the truth of which is held to open to doubt: "n'est-ce pas?"

    Words

    也  yě OC: lalʔ MC: jɣɛ 859 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • ppostad.非N{PRED}非...也非其罪也“it was not his fault": marker of negated abstract nominal feature predicateCH
    • ppostad:Vpost-p{NEG}.post-v{NEG}double negation 非不非不能也 "it is not a case of being unable" "it is not as if the subject was not V-ing" dismissing one negative judgment and suggesting there is another judgment that is trueCH
    • ppostadNab{PRED}Nab=instantiation仁也"is an instance of benevolence": particle marking the instantiation of  an abstract feature NabCH
    • ppostadNab{PRED}Nab=unmarked nominalisation of V無法也“This is lawlessness": "this is an instance of" marks the classification of a subject as being an instance of the unmarked nominalisation of a VPLZ
    • ppostadNPab{S}.postVtNPab=an S nominalised by 之/其不知其可也“I do not know what is acceptible about him": marker of sentential complements, which are typically nominalised by 之/其LZ
    • ppostadN{PRED}.post-N{SUBJ}N{SUBJ}=autonymousmarking that N{PRED} classifies an autonymous N{SUBJ}CH
    • ppostadN{PRED}.postSSexplanatorySS, 行之節也 “..., this is the rhythm of traveling [by chariot]"DS
    • ppostadN{PRED}classification聖人也“is a sage": is to be classified as an N
    • ppostadN{PRED}descriptive 者也是知王道者也 "Such is the one who properly understands the way of a (true) king"LZ
    • ppostadN{PRED}putativemarker of passive putative use of predicative nominalCH
    • ppostadS1.+S2containing cataphora吾聞之也 marker of a main sentence a cataphoric pronoun in which is specified in the sentence that followsCH
    • ppostadS1.postS2S2 ends in 矣由也升堂矣，未入其室也。　"Our friend Zǐlù has ascended the main hall, but has not yet entered the rooms": contrastively non-perfective  judgmental particle CH
    • ppostadSadversativemarking emphatic contrastive judgement (that is the opposite of what precedes)VK
    • ppostadSconcessivemarking preliminary concessive judgemental clauseVK
    • ppostadSconclusion吾與點也“I side with Dian": "and the concluding point is that": marker of a concluding judgment or a concluding contrastive judgmental clause.
    • ppostadSconcrete judgmental imperative勿告也"One should not tell him!" "the thing to do now is": sentence final particle in imperative or injunctive sentences
    • ppostadSdescriptive無知也“I have no understanding": final particle marking non-narrative judgemental descriptive statements or subjective judgmental appraisals
    • ppostadSgeneral judgmental imperative勿欺也！“One must not cheat!": marks the generality of an imperative as being not limited to a certain occasion or time
    • ppostadSjudgemental 我無是也“I do not have such": "it may be said that, it is a fact that", "the point is" marks a judgemental non-narrative verbal sentence, often as being basic or explanatory
    • ppostadSjudgmental generalising未之聞也"this is unheard of (not narratively 'this I have never heard of'.)": particle marking a generalising judgmentCH
    • ppostadSSmarks a sequence of sentences as being generalising rather than concretely narrativeCH
    • ppostadV.post-N{SUBJ}N=autonymouspostverbal particle preceded by the subject NCH
    矣  yǐ OC: ɢɯʔ MC: ɦɨ 238 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • ppostadN{PRED}N=counted Nmarks a nominal predicate as definitely applyingCH
    • ppostadS"the currently relevant point is": modal particle marking new or currently particularly relevant statement (like 了)
    • ppostadS1.post-S2S1=apodosisMOVE TO "THEN" sentence-final particle after apodosis of conditional
    • ppostadSimperativemarker of (probably mild) imperative sentences
    • ppostadStensed吾老矣　"by now; at this stage; under these circumstances": currently relevant verbal statement; new situation, tensed
    • ppostadSuntensed我知之矣“I'm perfectly aware of it!": "surely, definitely" mildly exclamatory/emphatic
    • ppostadV.+N{SUBJ}psych甚矣吾衰也！emphatic sentence-internal post-verbal modal particle
    • ppostadV1.adV2exclamatory鮮矣仁　particle placed after an emphatic focussed adverbial (which one might even suspect of being a transposed main verb)
    • ppostadVlogically則...矣 "then ... und those conditions definitely": definitively (under the logical conditions)CH
    • ppostadVtemporalperfective: then, at that time, definitelyCH
    凡  fán OC: blom MC: bi̯ɐm 159 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • padN.adS"一律"Speaking in general of N, S
    • padNPab{S1}.adS2theoretical/not merely descriptive"一律"quite generally, speaking of S1, S2CH
    • padNPab{S}.adVtheoretical/not merely descriptive"一律"
    • padSVery basically ...CH
    • padS1.adS2theoretical/not merely descriptiveas a matter of principle
    • vadN{TOPIC}.+V{COMMENT}theoretical/not merely descriptiveTOPIC very oftem followed by 者: "一律"quite generally; very generally speaking; as a matter of principle, speaking in veneral general terms of (the topic);
    夫  fú OC: ba MC: bi̯o 93 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • padS1.postS2"Now,", "In fact," introducing a related new subject for the discourse, and introducing non-narrative theoretical discourse.
    • padSrhetorical questionparticle introducing typically generic rhetorical questions 夫何
    • padSwithout preceding SIn fact... (opening a whole chapter in a non-narrative mode)CH
    • ppostadScommunicative, subjective=否乎 n'est-ce pas?
    獨  dú OC: dooɡ MC: duk 37 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • padVGerman: "etwa"> marker of rhetorical questions inviting or suggesting/presupposing a negative answer, derived from the meaning "as the only person"
    也已  yě yǐ OC: lalʔ k-lɯʔ MC: jɣɛ jɨ 33 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • PPpostadS"in every way, definitely": assertive combination of final particles
    已  yǐ OC: k-lɯʔ MC: jɨ 16 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • ppostadN{PRED}definitely (Pulleyblank: might be fusion of 也矣)LZ
    • ppostadSdefinitely!CH
    • ppostadVintensitive imperative marker, "!!"
    • ppostadVquestion
    乎哉  hū zāi OC: ɢaa skɯɯ MC: ɦuo̝ tsəi 16 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • PPpostadSexpected answer: no!marker of rhetorical questions
    矣哉  yǐ zāi OC: ɢɯʔ skɯɯ MC: ɦɨ tsəi 16 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • PPpostadSemphatic and exclamatory final particle combination
    • PPpostadV.adSexclamatory particles
    了也  liǎo yě OC: reewʔ lalʔ MC: leu jɣɛ 12 Attributions
    • Studies in the Language of Zǔtáng jí 祖堂集 ( ANDERL 2004B) p. 490-491

      Sentence final ye3 frequently occurs in combination with semi-grammticalized lia3o 了. There have been numerous suggestions how lia3o ye3 了也 should be interpreted in this construction. I think that the sequence of those two markers should be interpreted along the line with their individual functions.

      The typical function of lia3o 了 in ZTJ is to mark relative anteriority of a VP(X) to a VP(Y) in the pattern VP(X) + lia3o 了 + VP(Y). Lia3o indicates that an action is completed and ye3 expresses perfective, and indicating that the consequences of the action are still relevant at the moment of the speech act:

      In the following example co-occurring with yi3 已:

      1163) ZTJ 1.150; WU: 90

      “你已是受戒了也，

      ni3 yi3 shi4 sho4u jie4 lia3o ye3

      NPRO2SG/ADV.TEMPalready/COP.EMPHASIS/receive/precept/V.GR.TEMPcomplete/SF.PERF

      "You have already received the precepts

      還聽律也無？”do you still obey to the disciplinary rules?"

      In the sentence above the person has already received the set of precepts, i.e. the event of being ordained is completed and has occurred in the past. However, this event has consequences which are still relevant at the moment of the speech act, indicated by the question whether the person still obeys to the precepts.

      1164) ZTJ 1.156,02; WU: 94

      “何不問老僧？”"Why do you not ask me?"

      僧曰： The monk said:

      “問則問了也。”"I have already asked [you]."

      1165) ZTJ 1.166; WU: 101

      師曰： The master said:

      “吃飯也未?”"Have you eaten?"

      對曰：[The monk] answered:

      “喫飯了也。”"I have [already] eaten."

      In the next example co-occurring together with za3o 早 'already' which can function synonymous to yi3 已 in vernacular texts:

      1166) ZTJ 1.173; WU: 105

      雲嵒問：Yu2nya2n asked:

      “一句子如何言說?”"How about expounding one sentence with words?"

      師曰：The master said:

      “非言說。”"There are no words to expound (express) [it]."

      道吾曰：Da4owu2 said:

      “早說了也。”"I have already expounded (expressed) [it]."

      Syntactic words
    • PPpostadSperfectivevernacular sentence final construction indicating the perfective: (already) have Ved
    蓋  gài OC: kaabs MC: kɑi 11 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • padSsemantically weak marker of a new beginning within a given non-narrative abstract discourse, often a tentative summarising remark
    • padStentativeApparently 蓋聞 marks a tentative report on what one has heard but does not necessarily believeCH
    • padV.postN{SUBJ}-it would appear-CH
    矣夫  yǐ fú MC: hiX bju OC: ɢɯʔ baCH 8 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • PPpostadN{PRED}marks an emphatic nominal predicate, that whole predication being modified as a whole by the communicative rhetorical question particle  夫 "n'est-ce pas"CH
    • PPpostadSverbal sentencemarks an emphatic and communicative statementCH
    也已矣  yě yǐ yǐ OC: lalʔ k-lɯʔ ɢɯʔ MC: jɣɛ jɨ ɦɨ 7 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • PPpostadSemphatic post-sentential cluster {note that the 也 goes with the sentences that precedes, and the 已矣 is close to 而已矣 which has the sentence that precedes as its scope}
    其  qí OC: ɡɯ MC: gɨ 6 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • padSrhetorical questionformative of rhetorical questions
    • padVOBI: one of the most controversial modal particles in OBI
    • padVsubjunctive adverb: would haveCH
    • padVrhetoricalquestionmarker of a rhetorical questionCH
    否  fǒu OC: pɯʔ MC: pɨu 6 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • ppostadSquestioninterrogative particle: "or not"
    矣乎  yǐ hū MC: hiX hu OC: ɢɯʔ ɢaaCH 6 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • PPpostadSemphaticstressed emphatic final particleCH
    云爾  yún ěr OC: ɢun mljelʔ MC: ɦi̯un ȵiɛ 6 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • PPpostadSdouble particle marking the end of quotation
    • PPpostadSdouble particle marking emphatically the end of a complex discourseCH
    始得  shǐ dé OC: lʰɯʔ tɯɯɡ MC: ɕɨ tək 6 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPpostadSgrammaticalised idiom reinforcing a recommendation made>...only then will one succeed;...only then is it possible
    • VPt+V.postSgrammaticalised idiom reinforcing the notion of obligation/recommendation made > only if S then the goal defined by V will be achieved
    已矣  yǐ yǐ OC: k-lɯʔ ɢɯʔ MC: jɨ ɦɨ 5 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPipostadSand that is all there is to be said (We take this difficult case to be one of a grammaticalised VP which is no longer accessible to negation, even "in principle"
    • VPipostadSdefinitelydefinitely, without any doubtCH
    爾  ěr MC: nyeX OC: mljelʔLZ 4 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • ppostadS=而已 that is all
    • vpostadVparticle marking the end of a comparison, resumptively: "like that, in that way"LZ
    故  gù OC: kaas MC: kuo̝ 3 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • npostadSmarker of constative theoretical modality
    而  ér MC: nyi OC: njɯCH 3 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • ppostadV=而已　“that is all"CH
    也哉  yě zāi OC: lalʔ skɯɯ MC: jɣɛ tsəi 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • PPpostadSexpected answer: no!rhetorical question particle: surely not!
    否乎  fǒu hū OC: pɯʔ ɢaa MC: pɨu ɦuo̝ 2 Attributions

    Interrogative particle [DS]

      Syntactic words
    • ppostadSquestionor is that not so?, n'est-ce pas [Note that this combination persists in spire of the current use of 夫＝否乎 already noted by Georg von der Gabelentz in 1881]
    也邪  yě yé MC: dzyoX yae  OC: lalʔ k-la DS 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • PPpostadSrhetorical questionforms strong rhetorical questions, expected answer: NO!DS
    也夫  yě fú MC: dzyoX bju OC: lalʔ baCH 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • PPpostadSmarker of a tentative judgment sentenceCH
    你  nǐ OC: m-lɯʔ MC: ɳɨ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • ppostadN{PRED}what about?modal particle: a how about N? (probably corresponding to Modern Mandarin 呢)
    哉  zāi OC: skɯɯ MC: tsəi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • ppostadSemphatic marker of the imperative modality.
    為  wèi OC: ɢʷals MC: ɦiɛ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • ppostadSmarker of rhetorical questions
    無  wú OC: ma MC: mi̯o 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • padSpre-classical sentence-initial particle with unclear meaning (SHI 毛 傳："無念，念也。", possibly a trace of the volitional prefix *m-)
    式  shì 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • padVarchaic particle, apparently close to adverbial connectors, 'and so, thus' (SHI)LZ
    耳乎  ěr hū MC: nyiX hu OC: mljɯʔ ɢaaCH 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • PPpostadSmarks the question form of a sentence modified by 耳CH
    乎已  hū yǐ MC: hu yiX OC: ɢaa k-lɯʔCH 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • PPpostadSemphaticdefinitely!CH
    也已矣夫  yě yǐ yǐ fú MC: dzyoX yiX hiX bju OC: lalʔ k-lɯʔ ɢɯʔ baCH 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • PPpostadSstates a fact, emphatically, as currently relevant, appealing then to the reader that this is trueCH
    莫是  mò shì OC: maaɡ ɡljeʔ MC: mɑk dʑiɛ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPt+S.+V{NEG}Is it not that S, (or not)
    旃  zhān OC: tjan MC: tɕiɛn 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • ppostadSsentence final particle of doubtful exact function, said to be equivalent to 之焉
    與  yú OC: k-la MC: ji̯ɤ
    歟  yú OC: k-la MC: ji̯ɤ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    來  lái OC: m-rɯɯ MC: ləi 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • padSexclamatorycommunicative modal particle (see XIE ZHIBIN 謝質彬 2011: 173ff)
    • padVcommunicative modal particle (see XIE ZHIBIN 謝質彬 2011: 173ff)
    也與  yě yú MC: dzyoX yo OC: lalʔ k-laCH 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    耳  ěr OC: mljɯʔ MC: ȵɨ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words

    Existing SW for

    Here are Syntactic Words already defined in the database: