Modal verbs in Han period Chinese Part II: Negative Markers in combination with the modal auxiliary verbs kĕ and kĕ yĭ

Abstract

In this synchronie study of the modal auxiliary verbs kĕ and kĕ yĭ in Han period Chinese, it is shown that they predominantly express root possibility values, while deontic values are mainly restricted to the negated form of the construction. Propositional values (either epistemic or evidential) are almost non- existent and co-occur only with verbs that licence an evidential interpretation. In Part II, the three structures where kĕ combines with a negative marker are discussed. These are the structures: [NEG V mod VP], [V mod NEG VP] and [NEGV mod NEG VP], which mainly express the deontic modalities of prohibition but also root possibility.