A Study On The Syntax And Semantics Of The Immediate Future Denoting “(NP)+VP+LE2” Construction:A Modality Perspective

This paper examines,from the aspect of modality,the immediate future denoting(IFD)“(NP)+VP+le2” construction in Mandarin Chinese,specifically,its semantic interpretations and its mechanism to take on a near future reading.The study firstly takes up the claim raised by Peng(2009)that there is a covert modal auxiliary e in the IFD “(NP)+VP+le2” construction.This claim is backed up with three pieces of evidence:(a)the non-occurrence of the construction with the perfect aspectual marker le1,(b)the tagging of a modal auxiliary to the construction,and(c)the requirement of an overt modal auxiliary in the negated form of the construction.The study also shows that e is available to refer to different types of modal auxiliary,which leads to the multiple modality interpretations of the construction.However,a further inquiry shows that e is restricted in expressing modality in two dimensions,namely,type and degree.As for the type of modality,e yields only root modality,which includes generic modality,deontic modality and dynamic modality,but not epistemic modality.Regarding the degree of modality,e denotes necessity rather than possibility.Lastly,the paper provides an account of the restrictions on the modality reading of e by relating it to the special future tense yielded by the construction.The future tense is derived by the interaction between e and le2.As le2 is syntactically situated higher than root modals but lower than epistemic modals,only root modals are within the scope of le2.It follows that the interaction between root modals and le2 successfully brings out a future reading while that between epistemic modals and le2 would fail to do so.This explicates why e denotes only root modality.In addition,the future tense expressed by the construction is specified with the property of “being immediate”,which means that the event is urgent in its occurrence.Therefore,e expresses necessity but not possibility.In sum,the fact that the IFD “(NP)+VP+le2” construction receives an immediate future reading has much to do with the covert modal auxiliary e in the construction,and the special futurity encoded in the construction in turn plays a dominant role in restricting the modality interpretations of e.