This study examines the variants of the modal verbs können [can], mögen [may], müssen [must], sollen [should], wollen [want], and werden [will], with a focus on the function of the epistemic modality. Their linguistic forms of realization can serve to express personal inferences or references to the statements of third parties. Besides theoretical definitions, the emphasis is on the empirical intelligibility of the phenomenon.

Autorentext

Elisabeth Scherr, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Österreich.