Modal Verbs in the Modern Chinese Language

Abstract

The article presents a new view on Chinese modal verbs as a part of speech. Based on the typology of the Chinese language, the authors analyzed modal verbs according to their functional-syntactic, formal-morphological, and semantic features in order of importance. The article discusses the position of modal operators in the sentence and other characteristics. For instance, Chinese modal verbs have no impact on the object and cannot independently form sentences or combine with grammemes. Therefore, the authors believe that Chinese modal verbs (modal operators) belong to the lexical-grammatical group of adverbs as a special category of intentional adverbs. Their intentionality reflects the outward focus of linguistic consciousness, based on the internal reference point of the speaker. The group includes such meanings as "wish", "obligation", "opportunity", "permission", and "will". The research owes its theoretical significance to the fact that it contributes to a better understanding of the essence and nature of modal operators and modality meanings, identifying them as a separate group of adverbs. The obtained results are applicable in the field of theoretical grammar of the Chinese language and can be used in researches related to further analysis of parts of speech problem in the Chinese language.