Modal

A modal is a kind of Toaq particle that quantifies over possible worlds. They are used to make statement about what is necessarily or possibly the case, and to make "if-then" statements. There are four basic modal words:

	indicative	subjunctive
necessity	she “(necessarily) is”	ao “(necessarily) would”
possibility	daı “can”	ea “could”

In the falling tone , these words simply precede a clause to add a shade of necessity-or-possibility:

She kaqkıu núım.
The star is (necessarily) visible. (in all "possible worlds")

Ao kaqkıu núım.
The star would be visible. (e.g.: if it were nighttime — which it is not — it would have definitely been visible)

Daı kaqkıu núım.
The star can/may be visible. (in some "possible worlds")

Ea kaqkıu núım.
The star could have been visible. (e.g.: if it were nighttime — which it is not — it would have been a possibility)

In the rising-falling tone , there is an additional "restriction", a complementizer phrase, adding an if-then structure. The pattern is Shê ꝡä ıf-clause nä then-clause.

Shê, ꝡä tı há Námıguaq, nä kaqkıu núım.
If one is on Antarctica, the star is (necessarily) visible.

Âo, ꝡä moku séoq, nä kaqkıu núım.
If the sky were dark, the star would be (necessarily) visible.

Dâı, ꝡä tı há Námıguaq, nä kaqkıu núım.
If one is on Antarctica, the star may be visible.

Êa, ꝡä moku séoq, nä kaqkıu núım.
If the sky were dark, the star could have been visible.

Other modals

Some other words can be considered modals, or at least have the same grammar:

• he: As a rule, whenever X is the case, Y is the case. / As a rule, Y is the case.
• noeq: Despite X being the case, Y is the case. / Nevertheless, Y is the case.
• ıaq: No matter what the answer to X is, Y is the case. / No matter what, Y is the case.