Modality in Ilocano

Modality has received little attention as a semantic domain in previous Ilocano grammar studies. In fact, it is merely secondary to grammatical or morphosyntactic descriptions. In this study, modality, which is expressed through various means, is concerned with a speaker’s evaluation of the factuality status of a proposition or a potential event. Using a typological approach, this study (i) presents various ways of expressing modality in Ilocano and (ii) illustrates the semantic classifications and categories of modal expressions in Ilocano. Modality in Ilocano is expressed through modal lexical elements and modal affixes. Lexical elements in Ilocano that encode modality include modal adverbs, modal verbs, modal adjectives, and modal adverbial clitics. Using Palmer’s (2001) modal descriptions, modal lexical elements in Ilocano are divided into two categories: propositional and event modality. Propositional modality, on the one hand, refers to a speaker’s evaluation of a proposition. The subcategories under propositional modality, which are based on Van der Auwera and Plungian (1998) and Vondiziano’s (2019) classifications of modality, include epistemic possibility, epistemic necessity, and assertion. Epistemic possibility, which is considered as a weak modal type in this study, highlights a speaker’s non commitment to a proposition. Epistemic necessity, which is a strong modal type, is concerned with a proposition that conveys a high degree of probability. Assertion, which is described as an asserted modal type, deals with a speaker’s commitment to the truth value of a proposition. On the other hand, event modality is concerned with events that are potential, unreal, and have not been actualized. It is subdivided into participant internal and participant-external modality based on the classifications of Van der Auwera and Plungian (1998). Participant-internal, which is conceptual in nature, is concerned with internal factors that make an event necessary (e.g., internal needs). Participant-external, which is either conceptual or illocutionary, focuses on external circumstances that make a situation necessary. Participant-external modality is further divided into the deontic-circumstantial domain which describes external circumstances that influence the completion of an action; and the deontic-directive domain that describes a situation where a speaker requires another speech participant to accomplish or perform an action.

Aside from modal lexical elements, modality in Ilocano can also
be expressed through the use of modal affixes including inflectional affixes and modal stem-forming affixes. Modal inflectional affixes in Ilocano mark realis-irrealis distinction and controlled-uncontrolled do mainbased onthe realis-irrealis descriptions of Mithun (1995) and Payne and Oyzon (2020); and the controlled-uncontrolled concepts of Payne and Oyzon (2020). Realis is concerned with events that are factual, have been actualized and are currently happening. Irrealis deals with
non-factual, potential, and possible events. This study also illustrates, although preliminary, the relationship between realis-irrealis distinction and constructions that express propositional and event modality. Aside from realis-irrealis distinction, this study also uses the concept of a speaker’s control to classify modal inflectional affixes. Controlled domain in this study is only concerned with the following situations: (i) an actor wishes to involve another participant; (ii) an actor has control over an entity or a situation; and (iii) an actor has decided to perform an action. On the other hand, uncontrolled domain deals only with the following conditions: (i) naturally-occurring events and phenomena not instigated by an actor; (ii) unregulated body processes; and (iii) influences of an action initially executed by an actor. Finally, this study presents some stem-forming affixes that encode abilitative, sociative, requestive, frequentive, or deliberate meaning.