Modality as part of language is an extremely complex phenomenon because the concept of modality includes attitudes which are similar to, but not identical with the logical modality. It includes feelings and emotions as well as other concepts that do not exist in modal logic. If we want to draw a parallel between English and Romanian, choosing as a starting point the Romanian language, we shall observe that there are some „problems” concerning the expression of modality by different moods and verbal tenses in Romanian and the possibility of achieving some firm equivalents in English.
Generally speaking, a certain language does not distinguish between more than two or three verbal moods that are capable of expressing numerous modal values that may be called „central values”, unspecific to the modal content initially considered. Taking into consideration only the Romanian language and the English language, we may say that Romanian has a less rigid system of expressing a certain value.
Romanian Conditional-Optative Mood vs English Equivalents
If we refer to the Romanian conditional-optative mood, its functions are achieved in English by the synthetic subjunctive mood and the analytical equivalents of the subjunctive with modal auxiliaries:
Dacă aș fi în locul tău, n-aș face asta.
If I were you, I wouldn’t do it.
In Romanian, these functions are also inserted in the modal values of the subjunctive and the imperfect form of the indicative mood. So, the following examples are synonyms:
- Să-l văd venind, aș fi fericit.
- Dacă l-aș vedea venind, aș fi fericit.
- Dacă plecam la timp, ajungeam la timp.
- Dacă aș fi plecat la timp, aș fi ajuns la timp.
- Să fi plecat la timp, aș fi ajuns la timp.
Romanian Imperfect Mood: Multiple Values
In order to show the numerous values that one and the same Romanian form can express in comparison with the rigid system and the high specialized verbal forms in English, I shall take into consideration the Romanian imperfect mood and I shall translate its values into English.
Când eram copil, mâncam multe dulciuri. (durative-iterative value)
„I used to eat a lot of sweets when I was a child.” (past tense)
Suna telefonul când am intrat în casă. (descriptive value concerning reality)
„The telephone was ringing when I entered the house.” (past continuous)
Mai bine mergeam în excursie. (optative value, unreal, non-factual)
„It would have been better if I had gone on the journey.” (past perfect)
N-ai fi regretat dacă veneai cu noi. (conditional value)
„You wouldn’t have regretted if you had come with us.” (past perfect)
Trebuia să vii până la ora 10. (deontic values, unfulfilled obligation)
„You ought to/should have returned by 10 o’clock.”
Eu eram mama și tu erai tata.
„I am mother and you are father.” (present tense)
Romanian Presumptive and English Equivalents
Referring to the possibilities of translating the Romanian presumptive into English, R. Albu (Albu 1998, p.40) underlines the formal, as well as the semantic association between this Romanian form (formed with the future I auxiliary) and the English forms with the auxiliary will.
Nu-l deranja. O fi dormind.
„Don’t disturb him. He will be sleeping.”
E ora 9. Vor fi sosit deja.
„It is 9 o’clock. They will have arrived by now.”
The verbal structure „will be sleeping”, although formally identical with the future continuous, indicates an action that is supposed to be taking place at the moment of speaking, and „will have arrived”, a structure formally identical with the future perfect, indicates an action which is supposed to have already happened.
In the same semantic sphere of this form we may place (on the epistemic scale), on the one hand, may, and on the other hand, must:
- Don’t disturb him. He may be sleeping.
- Don’t disturb him. He will be sleeping.
- Don’t disturb him. He must be sleeping.
- It’s 9 o’clock. They may have arrived by now.
- It’s 9 o’clock. They will have arrived by now.
- It’s 9 o’clock. They must have arrived by now.
(R. Albu 1998, pag. 41)
- Irina (Irina 1976, 149) also remarks upon the synonymy between the following structures:
- Trebuie să fi cautând = Va fi căutând
- Trebuie să fi venit = Va fi venit
However, the parallel between the Romanian presumptive and the corresponding modal expressions does not suggest the existence of a presumptive mood in English, but of some modal values of the English future. Besides, among the modal values of the Romanian „future I” there also appears the presumptive value”: „Mă băieți…da’oleacă de fân nu s-a găsit pe la voi?” (C. Hogaș)
Romanian Imperative vs English
Finally, I shall take into consideration the Romanian imperative and how it is expressed in English.
Vino acasă!/ Să vii acasă! = „Come home!”
We notice that, in Romanian, the imperative value can also be rendered by the subjunctive, whereas in English we have only one way of expressing an imperative value.
Lexical and Stylistic Means of Expressing Modality
Modality Achieved by Different Parts of Speech
There are many words that, in certain contexts, can express an attitude concerning the content of a sentence. Leon Levițchi (Levițchi 1974, pp. 203-217) says that interjections are among the most important words that may express modality in a potential state. The most frequently used interjections are:
- Expletive: Ah, good morning! („a”, „o”)
- Regret: Too late! Ah! („vai”, „ah”)
- In a voice sharpened by pain: Ah! („vai”, „a”, „o”, „of”)
- Discouraged: Ah, well: what does it matter? („ei”, „eh”, „de”)
- Fear: Ah! He’s mad! („aoleu”, „vai”)
- Anger: Ah! How can you do such a thing? („vai”, „ei”, „ei bine”, „poftim”)
- Surprise: Ah! Ivy, thank you! („oh”, „ah”, „vai”)
- Joy: Ah!, I thought so! („a”, „ei”, „ha”)
- Compassion: Ah! Dearest! („vai”, „Vai-vai”, „a”, „o”, „of”)
- Tenderness: Ah, my boy! („vai”, „a”, „o”)
- Wonder: Ah, charming! („vai”, „ei cum”, „se poate?”)
- Understanding: Ah, I see! („a”, „da”, „o”)
- Satisfaction: Ah, that’s what I want! („a”, „aha”, „pai”, „da”)
- Protest: Ah! Now! („a”, „asta-i bună”, „poftim”, „se poate”)
Phraseology
So far I have made a brief presentation of the most important lexical means of expressing modality by using different parts of speech. I shall continue to present another lexical way of showing different attitudes of the speaker and this is phraseology. Leon Levițchi says that English phraseology is saturated by modality. He makes a classification of English phrases according to the attitude they express.
- Distrust: Tell that to the marines! („Asta să i-o spui lui mutu.”)
- Great Heavens! („Cerule!”, „E cu putință?”)
- Disapproval: To wash one’s dirty linen in public („a-și spăla rufele murdare în public”)
- The humorous disapproval: To be a bit on („a fi afumat”)
- Approval: You may well say so („bineînțeles”, „așa e”, „ce mai”)
- Irony: The devil’s own luck („ghinionul naibii”)
Proverbs approve or disapprove, recommend, advice, condemn, bitterly ascertain etc. Sometimes, they do it explicatively, and other times the receiver has to deduce the modality.
- A bad thing never dies. („Soiul rău nu piere.”)
- A bad padlock invites a picklock. („Paza bună trece primejdia rea.”)
Stylistic and Rhetoric Ways of Expressing Modality
A certain figure of speech can express different modalities, even if all of them have in view the personality of the listener. However, some figures of speech are more „specific” from a modal point of view.
Antiphrase
It expresses irony, contempt, blame etc.
How clever you are! („Că deștept mai ești!”, „Ești prost de dai în gropi!”)
Apostrophe
It is a direct assertion to a person (present or absent), an animal, a personified abstraction in order to beg, ask or reprimand.
„Down, you mongrel, death, back into your kennel!” („Jos corcitură, moarte, treci la loc în coteț!”)
Simile or Metaphor
They can be:
- Appreciative: (as) sweet as honey = „dulce ca mierea”
- Depreciative: (as) ugly as sin = „urât ca noaptea”
Diacope
It means the repetition of a word after the insertion of the other words, especially in exclamations expressing strong feelings.
„Light, I say, light!” = „Lumină, am zis, lumină!” (here the repetition of the word „light” emphasizes the pain)
Epigram
It expresses satire, irony.
Epithet
It is a word, sometimes a sentence, characterizing a referent through a subjective appreciation.
Sweet smile = „zâmbet dulce”
Euphemism
Its modal value occurs in any of its varieties. It is the need of diminishing a painful assertion.
To pass away = „a se trece, a muri”
Innuendo
It is a wicked allusion addressed to somebody.
He did not consult physicians, for he hoped to die without them. = „Nu consulta doctori, pentru că spera să moară fără ei.”
Rhetoric Question
It expresses a precise attitude on the part of the speaker, because he or she waits for approval or disapproval of the listener.
„Have ye leisure, comfort, calm?” (Shelley, „Song to the Men of England”) = „Aveți tihnă, confort, liniște?”
Conclusion
As a conclusion, I shall say that, in Romanian, there are many modal forms which are capable of indicating a certain modal value. Only the formal structure is changed while the meaning of the sentence remains the same. In English, the situation is more complicated. English is not so flexible in expressing a modal value by using moods and tense forms. The Romanian translator underestimates the difficulty of rendering the modal values of one language by appropriate structures in the other language.