10.4 The Interpersonal Metafunction: Mood and Modality
The Interpersonal Metafunction is concerned with the social relationships between interactants and how language is used to negotiate these relationships. It's about expressing attitudes, opinions, and engaging with others. This metafunction is primarily realized through the Mood system and Modality.
4.1. The Mood System
The Mood system deals with the grammatical resources for enacting different speech roles and exchanging information or goods-and-services. In SFG, every clause contains a Mood element and a Residue element.
Mood Element: The core of the clause for interpersonal meaning. It consists of:
Subject: The element that acts as the grammatical pivot of the clause, typically a nominal group. It is the entity responsible for the validity of the proposition.
Finite: The part of the verbal group that carries the tense (past, present, future) or modality (e.g., can, must, will). It grounds the proposition in time or reality.
Residue Element: The remainder of the clause, providing additional information. It includes:
Predicator: The lexical verb (e.g., eat, run, sleep).
Complement: An element that completes the meaning of the clause but is not the Subject or a Circumstance (e.g., a doctor in "He is a doctor").
Adjunct: Circumstantial elements (e.g., quickly, yesterday).
Examples of Mood Analysis:
Declarative (Giving Information):
The sun is shining brightly.
Mood:
The sun(Subject)is(Finite)Residue:
shining brightly(Predicator + Adjunct)
Interrogative (Demanding Information):
Is the sun shining brightly?
Mood:
Is(Finite)the sun(Subject)Residue:
shining brightly(Predicator + Adjunct)
Imperative (Demanding Goods-and-Services):
Shine brightly! (Subject is typically implicit 'you')
Mood: (Implicit Subject) (Implicit Finite)
Residue:
Shine brightly(Predicator + Adjunct)
The arrangement of Subject and Finite determines the clause's mood type and thus its communicative function.
4.2. Modality
Modality refers to the speaker's or writer's judgment or assessment of the probability, usuality, obligation, or desirability of a proposition. It expresses degrees of certainty or commitment.
Types of Modality:
Modalization (Probability and Usuality):
Probability: How likely something is (e.g., possibly, probably, certainly, may, might, must).
She might be home.
It's certainly going to rain.
Usuality: How often something happens (e.g., sometimes, usually, always, never).
He usually arrives late.
They never complain.
Modulation (Obligation and Inclination):
Obligation: How necessary or obligatory something is (e.g., should, must, ought to, allowed to, required to).
You must finish your homework.
We are allowed to leave early.
Inclination: How willing or inclined someone is (e.g., willing to, determined to).
I am willing to help.
Modality can be expressed through:
Modal Auxiliary Verbs: can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would.
Modal Adverbs: possibly, probably, certainly, perhaps, always, never, usually.
Modal Adjectives: possible, probable, certain, necessary.
Modal Nouns: possibility, probability, certainty.
Understanding Mood and Modality allows us to analyze how speakers and writers position themselves and their audience, expressing their stance and negotiating meaning in social interactions.