Time and Modality [Paperback]

Here is a unique work of reference. Not only does it unite studies which explore the syntax and semantics of tense or modality, but it is the first book of its kind to embrace the interaction of tense and modality within a coherent generative model.

Patterns in the Semantics of Generic Sentences.- Intensional Subjects and Indirect Contextual Anchoring.- Temporal Orientation in Conditionals.- On the Temporal Syntax of Non-Root Modals.- How to Say Ought in Foreign: The Composition of Weak Necessity Modals.- On the Temporal Function of Modal Verbs.- The English Perfect and the Metaphysics of Events.- Tense and Modality in Nominals.- Time With and Without Tense.- The English Konjunktiv II.- Phasing in Modals: Phases and the Epistemic/Root Distinction.

From the reviews:

The theme of this volume is the grammatical relations between tense and modality. & the book helps to develop a perspective on tense and modality and their grammaticalization cross-linguistically. The individual articles of this book present the most current advances in research on these topics. Thus, I believe students and researchers who look for detailed analyses on the syntax and semantics of modality and tense will very much benefit from this book. (Nil?fer G. Sener, The Linguist, April, 2009)

Time and Modality is a unique work of reference; not only does it unite studies which explore the syntax and semantics of tense or modality but it is the first book of its kind to embrace the interaction of tense and modality within a coherent generative model. Various topics are covered in this volume: among them are the counterfactual uses of conditionals, modals, and past tense; the irrealis use of perfective aspect; a special English subjunctive; the interaction of tense assignment and the definition of an event; the modal verb as a causative verb; the interaction of modality, tense, and aktionsart; the contrast between deontlƒ*