“We could scarce distinguish one from another” Towards a phraseological perspective on modal auxiliaries in three categories of Late Modern English medical writing

Martti Mäkinen, Turo Hiltunen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterScientificpeer-review

Abstract

The present study investigates the patterns of use of modal auxiliaries in three categories of medical writing in the eighteenth century. The data is drawn from the corpus of Late Modern English Medical Texts (LMEMT), and it is approached through phraseological register analysis. The study focuses on the distribution of modal auxiliaries in medical texts, per main verb, in active constructions, and on the division of auxiliaries between epistemic and root modalities (deontic and dynamic) in recipe texts, surgical texts, and medical periodicals. The study looks into certainty of knowledge and the normativity of medical writing as reflected in the use of modal auxiliaries. It is assumed that the three medical text categories attest to differing patterns of use of modal auxiliaries and that the variation is indicative of the communicative purpose of each category.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationMultilingualism and Language Variation in English across Genres and Registers : A Festschrift in Honour of Päivi Pahta
EditorsJenni Räikkönen, Carla Suhr, Minna Palander-Collin, Arja Nurmi, Minna Nevala, Turo Hiltunen
Number of pages28
Volume112
Place of PublicationHelsinki
PublisherUusfilologinen yhdistys ry
Publication date18.10.2024
Pages191-218
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 18.10.2024
MoE publication typeA3 Book chapter

Keywords

  • 612,1 Languages
  • modality
  • auxiliaries
  • medical writing
  • Late Modern English
  • phraseology
  • register analysis

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of '“We could scarce distinguish one from another” Towards a phraseological perspective on modal auxiliaries in three categories of Late Modern English medical writing'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this