Volitive modality

Volitive modality (abbreviated vol) is a linguistic modality which indicates the desires, wishes or fears of the speaker. It is classified as a subcategory of deontic modality.[1]

Realisation in speech

Volitive moods are a category of grammatical moods that are used to express volitive modality. Examples are the optative, desiderative and imprecative moods.[1] However, many languages (like English) have other ways to express volitive modality, for example modal verbs ("Would that you were here!", "May he live forever!").

The volitive in Esperanto is really a generic deontic mood, expressing commands as well as will, desire, and purpose. It is formed by adding a -u to the verb stem.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Loos, Eugene E.; Susan Anderson; Dwight H. Day, Jr.; Paul C. Jordan; J. Douglas Wingate. "What is volitive modality?". Glossary of linguistic terms. SIL International. http://www.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOflinguisticTerms/WhatIsVolitiveModality.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-28. 
  2. ^ Fryer, Helen. The Esperanto Teacher (10th ed.). Project Gutenberg. http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext05/esptr10h.htm. Retrieved 2010-03-13. 
what is expressed
objectively: Realis
what is expressed
subjectively: Irrealis
what is logical: Alethic
 
what should be: Deontic
promises, threats: Commissive
 
commands, requests,
requirements: Directive
hopes, wishes, fears: Volitive
what would be:
Conditional (Eventive)
 
what may be: Epistemic
inferences, possibilities,
questions, etc.