Isomorphisi of Modal Verbs as Linguocultural Factor in the German Language Reality

The concept of isomorphism in linguistics

According to Arakin (2005), “the term ‘isomorphism’ was introduced into linguistic use by the Polish linguist E. Kurilovich from mathematics, where it means the identity, the similarity of the internal structure of two systems of numbers” (p. 23). The scientist himself identifies isomorphism as the "uniformity of structure" units at different language levels and, accordingly, "uniformity of relations" between them at these levels, that is, establishing "similarity not only of microsystems, but also subsystems and entire systems of a number of languages" (Arakin, 2005, p. 24). Arakin bases his typological description of languages on this concept. Many explanatory Russian and German dictionaries still either reflect only the concepts of the natural sciences associated with isomorphism in chemistry and mathematics, or there is no such dictionary entry at all (Dictionary of Foreign Words in Russian, 1997, p. 258; Dictionary of Foreign Words, 2003, p. 249, Duden Deutsches Universalwörterbuch, 2001; Soviet Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1986, p. 392; Kuznecov, 2004; Lekhin & Petrov, 1997). In dictionaries of linguistic terms, as a rule, the definition of E. Kurilovich is given (Bußmann, 1990, p. 356-357), or the concept of the isomorphism theory (levels of language) is being introduced, postulating “the absence of a qualitative difference between different levels (tiers) of the language”, requiring “therefore the application of the same methods to their study and description and principles” (Ahmanova, 2004, p. 473) and actively developed in translation studies.

We consider isomorphism in linguistics as a concept that reflects the phenomenon of contextually determined identity of word forms, that is, not as “isomorphic meanings” of a linguistic unit, but as the transfer of the same meaning by different forms. Of particular interest is the appearance in a modal context of verbs with opposite immanent semantics.

Inventory of modal verbs group in german language

When we talk about modal verbs in the German language, we immediately name the six "classical" ones that make up the core of their group: können, dürfen, mögen, müssen, sollen, wollen , and then add verbs and constructions that are increasingly used not as significant, but as modifying. For example, in the Duden grammar, brauchen is on this list - to need (Duden, 2009, p. 556). Modal verbs also include lassen, haben / sein + zu + Infinitiv, wünschen , the construction Futur (Duden, 2009, p. 556), etc., which gives the statement different shades of desirability. In the three-volume grammar published by the Institute of the German Language in Mannheim, as in many other modern grammars, mögen is immediately presented in the form möchte - (IDS-Grammatik, 1997, p. 1252), and the authors of some textbooks add the form möchten in the infinitive to the group of modal verbs, thus separating it from the verb mögen (Delfin, 2002, p. 75). All this suggests that the inventory of the group of modal verbs in modern German is not only constantly replenished, but also the semantics of its core is differentiated, and the autonomy of individual word forms is also observed.

6.1.2.1. Immanent meanings of modal verbs

The immanent meanings of modal verbs are their original, etymologically determined meanings. The verbs können, dürfen, mögen, müssen, sollen, wollen belong to the so-called Präterito-Präsentia group, which have lost their present forms, so native speakers began to use preterite forms instead. There are no clearly substantiated reasons for this phenomenon in the history of the German language; there is only a statement of the fact that they were originally etymologically significant, constituted a group of verbs with the meaning of "state of mind" in a broad sense and had synonymous signs (Zhirmunskij, 1976, p. 58-59). Perhaps their modal semantics is associated with the replacement of the present by the preterite (the result of an action in the past became a state in the present). On this basis, the verb wissen fits well here, which historically refers to Präterito-Präsentia, but does not have modal semantics (Hentschel & Weydt, 2013, p. 64). Such a “pre-modal” semantics was in the verb können - “to know, to understand” (Duden. Herkunftswörterbuch, 2005, 478; Etymologisches ... 2002, p 345; Köbler, 1995; Mackensen, 1988, p. 229), in the verb dürfen - "to need, to lack", mögen - "to have power, to be able", müssen - "to have an opportunity, to be bound by an oath", sollen - "to be obliged, to have a duty - schuldig sein” (Zhirmunskij, 1976, p. 59), and only wollen (from the indoeur. “desire, choice, will”) has retained its original meaning today. Basically, the authors of etymological dictionaries and grammars of the German language are united within the given definitions of the premodal meanings of these verbs. In the course of the history of the language, these verbs have undergone many changes in development, for example, müssen and dürfen, mögen and können were changed semantically, which is still found in the epistemic use of these verbs: so mag (= kann) es gewesen sein.

Summarizing the definitions of modern meanings of modal verbs, which are given in dictionaries and textbooks (Duden online, DWDS, Wahrig, IDS-Grammatik, Helbig & Buscha, etc.), we can give them the following characteristic:

• the verb können means to be able, to have the opportunity, right, ability, permission to do something;

• the verb dürfen means: have permission; have the right to do something, is often used in negative statements containing a wish or request, softens unambiguous statements, expresses the degree of probability;

• the verb mögen in its modal use expresses the realization of someone's desire or agreement with this desire, as well as the possible degree of probability of an event, an assumption;

• the verb müssen is characterized as a necessity dictated by external pressure, social norms, internal personal obligations, logic, the will of the speaker.

• the verb sollen is presented as an expression of the will of someone who is not the grammatical subject in the statement, as an expression of extreme necessity, as a transfer of someone else's words and someone else's opinion.

• the verb wollen expresses the will, desire, intention to do something.

They can be used in the text in their full, significant sense, for example: Er muss zum Unterricht - It's time for him to study; and can play a service role, giving different shades of modality to another, significant, verb, for example: Er muss seine Pflicht erfüllen - He must do his duty . Er muss sehr müde sein, hält sich kaum auf den Beinen - He's definitely tired, can barely keep up.

Based on dictionary entries and grammar data, we take the meanings of the modal verbs listed above as the basis for their semantic structure.

6.1.2.2. Contextual meanings of modal verbs

Contextual meanings are the concretization of semantics (ambiguity) in a given context. An analysis of the contextual use of modal verbs has shown that it is a quite typical situation when the modal verbs appear in certain contexts not only with the immanent component of their semantics but also along with meanings that are not typical for them. For example, the question: Du, können wir nicht sprechen? is unambiguously interpreted as an imperative: Wollen wir sprechen! The verb können receives incentive semantics in an interrogative construction with nicht , which can be considered an incentive marker. Or in a situation of emotional turmoil, the inability to contain emotions, the verb müssen clearly acquires the semantics of the verb können : Er musste lachen / weinen ... We regard this phenomenon of German modal verbs as the result of the fact that in modern use they have retained the rudiments of their old meanings, and we consider their isomorphism as a linguocultural factor.

Isomorphism of modal verbs in the context of modality of desirability

To express the meaning of desirability in descending order of modal strength, the verbs müssen (confident intense expression of will), sollen (prescription, distant expression of will) and wollen (explicit desire) are used. In combination with some linguistic marker units, these meanings can be conveyed by other modal verbs for which this semantics is generally not typical. For example, in the following context, a confident guess, which is usually conveyed by the verb müssen , can be expressed by the verb dürfen with the characteristic marker - the amplifying particle nur :

• Es würde nicht schwer sein, in den schlesischen Bädern eine Auswahl zu treffen, Salzbrunn gut, und Reinerz, wegen der Nervenkomplikation, noch besser. Aber es darf nur Hohen-Cremmen sein. Denn, meine gnädigste Frau, was Ihrer Frau Tochter Genesung bringen kann, ist nicht Luft allein. - It would be possible to recommend some resort in Silesia - it would be nice to Salzbrunn or even Reinerz, given her nervous state. However, I personally think that it should be Gauguin-Kremmen. Your daughter, dear madam, needs more than just fresh air.

Theodor Fontane. Effi Briest (1894-1895) Theodore Fontane. Effie Brist

The following example can be interpreted as a prescription, however, here it is expressed not by the usual verb sollen , but by the verb dürfen .

• Ich bin aber eine schlechte Katholikin und bin ganz davon abgekommen, und vielleicht geht es mir deshalb so schlecht; ja, man darf nicht von seinem Glauben lassen und muß alles ordentlich mitmachen. - But I am a bad Catholic, I have completely abandoned my religion, and maybe that is why my life is so bad. Yes! You must not forget your faith, you must do everything as it should be.

Theodor Fontane. Effi Briest (1894-1895) Theodore Fontane. Effie Brist

Factors such as the presence of negation and an impersonal generalized grammatical subject in a sentence can influence the choice of a modal verb.

As mentioned above, the verb wollen least of all others changed its original essence - the obvious expression of will. In the same sense, we encountered contexts with the verb sollen in interrogative constructions of the rhetorical type, for example:

Warum soll ich nicht verlieren? = Ich will nicht verlieren Sollte ich das vergessen? = Ich will nicht vergessen

Isomorphism of modal verbs in the context of modality of possibility

To express the meanings of the modality of possibility, in descending order of modal strength, the verbs können (postulation of possibility), dürfen (permission, permission) and mögen (realization of someone's desire) are used.

When analyzing contexts in the text corpus, we came across examples where the semantics of a possibility is conveyed not by können , but by sollen . This can be influenced by the interrogative form of the sentence and the strong emotional coloring of the statement - a matter of life and death.

(3) Und wovon soll ich leben? - And what will I live on? (= How can I live?)

Heinrich Böll. Ansichten eines Clowns (1963) Heinrich Böll. Through the eyes of a clown

The following example demonstrates a situation in which the verb sollen is used instead of the verb dürfen , although the semantics does not imply any recommendation, or prescription, or anyone's will, but rather only an admission, permission. One of the reasons for this, similar to example (2), in our opinion, is a generalized impersonal grammatical subject.

• Den Kindern von Nichtkönigen oder Nichtmillionären, jedenfalls den Jungen, wird zuerst einmal zugebrüllt: “Du bist hier nicht zu Hause”, eine dreifache Unterstellung, weil vorausgesetzt wird, daß manie sich zu Hause wohl fühlt, wenn man sich wie ein Schwein benimmt, und daß man sich als Kind um keinen Preis wohl fühlen soll. - At non-royal and non-millionaire children, especially if they are boys, everyone yells: "You are not at home here," a three times false pedagogical premise: firstly, it is established that at home children behave like pigs, and secondly, it is assumed that children feel they behave well only if they behave like pigs, and, thirdly, the child is taught that he is not allowed to feel good anywhere.

Heinrich Böll. Ansichten eines Clowns (1963) Heinrich Böll. Through the eyes of a clown

The original non-modal meaning of mögen is to love, from which the development of the meanings of desire and possibility came, therefore there is a semantic connection between the verbs mögen and wollen - their isomorphism, as we see in the following example:

(6) Der liebe Gott wird das nicht wollen ... - The Lord will not allow ... (= Der liebe Gott mag es nicht).

Thomas Mann. Buddenbrooks (1896-1900) Thomas Mann. Buddenbrooks