Expressing Real Modality With the Help of Indicative Mood in the Tatar and the English Languages
50th Annual Meeting of the PIAC, Kazan 2007
According to the character of established relations between the stated end objective reality sentences are divided into real and unreal. Real ones are those relations when a sentence can be characterized as verifying the facts of objective reality.
In language sentences of this kind are expressed via forms of indicative mood.
Modal meaning of the indicative mood in both languages is a like, it is real modality. The meaning of the indicative (or reality) is not regarded as modal meaning. Thus, J. Liyons states that simple narrative sentences expressing simple verifying of the fact without defining the speaker’s attitude towards the meaning of the sentence, strictly speaking loose their modality (or they are not marked from the point of view of the category of mood) (J. Liyons, 1978, p. 324). Of the same opinion are G. Schervegs and prof. I. B. Khlebnikova, who considers that “indicative mood expresses zero attitude (relation), it is immodal”. (I. B. Khlebnikova, 1971).
However the utterance, in which there is only verifying of the fact, in a rather definite way expresses the speaker’s attitude too. In this connection words of R. A. Budagov will be appropriate: “Any sentence is always modally coloured, as it does not only verify, this or that fact but it also conveys the speaker’s attitude to this fact, event, incident and so on” (R. A. Budagov, 1974).
In both languages indicative mood has a developed system of tense forms. Another similarity to be found here is that forms of real mood in both languages along with categorial meaning Of real modality have some additional functions, supplementary meanings. Thus, in the Tatar language within the category of tense can be distinguished forms of Future I (suppositional), denoting the action which will take place after the moment of speaking as doubtful or not, and the form of Future II (categorical), which denotes future action as certain, obligatory. Meaning of authenticity and non-authenticity belong to different levels comparing with the meaning of objective reality. They are imposed on the main meaning of real mood forms-reality.
Мин кайтачакмын (Ш. Камал). — I shall come back.
In the English language for conveying these shades of meaning such modal words like certain, of course, sure, surely, actually, really, etc., are used, e.g.: “If I run now he will kill me, of course”, Lanny said. (P. Abrahams). — Әгәр дә мин йөгерсәм, ул, әлбәттә мине үтерәчәк, — диде Ленни.
As it is noted in grammar works, in the system of Past tenses of the Tatar verb. There is opposition of past categorical (obvious) tense (-ды, -де, form) to Past resulting (non-obvious) (-ган, -гән form). But meaning of something non-obvious implied by -ган, -гән forms is not their main meaning, it is revealed optionally, as well as meaning of something categorical and certain implied by -ды, -де forms. These meanings are secondary, derived from tense or aspect meanings of the forms. Meaning of reality should be acknowledged the main categorial modal meaning of these Past tense forms.
Әхмәт Нурый әфәнде, тагы сүз алып, озак сайрады (Г. Ибрагимов).
In English Past Perfect Continuous corresponds to this form and the sentence is translated in the following way: He had been speaking for a long time.
Past Perfect Continuous (like Present Perfect Continuous) is used when period of time during which the action has already been completed is indicated.
In the Tatar language Present tense can also denote the action taking place in the moment of speaking, e.g.: Нигә болай бик әкрен атлыйсыз? (М. Хабибуллин). — Why are you walking so slowly?
In the English language Present Continuous corresponds to this form:
Don’t make any noise. He is sleeping. — Тавышланмагыз үл йоклый.
Present tense is used to denote a usual, constant action which is characteristic of a subject, i.e. it gives no indication to the duration of the action or its completion, e.g.: Ел саен диярлек мин авылыма кайтам (Г. Боширов).
Every year I visit my native place.
As it can be seen from the example in English Present Indefinite corresponds to this form.
In the English language this form is also used with the verbs which are not used in the Continuous form (to see, to hear, recognize, to want, to understand, etc.) to denote the action which took place in the moment of speaking.
I don’t understand this sentence. — Мин бу җәмләне аңламыйм.
Present tense in Tatar can also denote the action which will take place in future, e.g.:
Иртәгә биредә савучылар, терлекчеләр жыелышы уткәрәбез (М. Хэбибуллин). — We will arrange a meeting tomorrow.
Thus, indicative mood in both languages denote actions in the present, future or past. It is characteristic of this mood to be connected with tenses forms and conjugation.
That is why though real modality in both languages is alike, ways of expressing it are considerably different as these differences lie in the system of aspectual tense forms of the English and the Tatar languages.