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'''Modals''' express under what conditions something happens. Toaq has four of them: {{t|she}}, {{t|dai}}, {{t|ao}}, and {{t|ea}}. When used with a complement, like {{t|âo x nä y}}, (where x is a CP) they work like this:
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:
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
!does x happen<br />in this world?
!if it did,<br />would y happen?
|-
!{{t|she}}
|yes
|yes
|-
!{{t|dai}}
|yes
|maybe
|-
!{{t|ao}}
|no
|yes
|-
!{{t|ea}}
|no
|maybe
|}
 
This is presented in the refgram as


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 32: Line 7:
|-
|-
!necessity
!necessity
|{{t|she}}
|{{t|she}} “(necessarily) is”
|{{t|ao}}
|{{t|ao}} “(necessarily) would”
|-
|-
!possibility
!possibility
|{{t|dai}}
|{{t|dai}} “can”
|{{t|ea}}
|{{t|ea}} “could”
|}
|}


Without a complement, they are given the falling tone, {{t|nä}} isn't used, and the restriction is left a mystery.
In the falling tone {{done|1}}, these words simply precede a clause to add a shade of necessity-or-possibility:
 
{{Example|She kaqkıu núım.|The star is (necessarily) visible. <small>(in all "possible worlds")</small>}}
{{Example|Ao kaqkıu núım.|The star would be visible. <small>(e.g.: if it were nighttime, which it is not, it would have definitely been visible)</small>}}
{{Example|Daı kaqkıu núım.|The star can/may be visible. <small>(in some "possible worlds")</small>}}
{{Example|Ea kaqkıu núım.|The star could have been visible. <small>(e.g.: if it were nighttime, which it is not, there would have been a chance)</small>}}
 
In the rising-falling tone {{done|4}}, there is an additional "restriction", a [[complementizer phrase]], adding an if-then structure. The pattern is {{t|Shê ꝡä if-clause nä then-clause}}.
 
{{Example|Shê, ꝡä tı há Námıguaq, kaqkıu núım.|If one is on Antarctica, the star is (necessarily) visible.}}
{{Example|Âo, ꝡä moku séoq, nä kaqkıu núım.|If the sky were dark, the star would be (necessarily) visible.}}
{{Example|Dâı, ꝡä tı há Námıguaq, nä kaqkıu núım.|If one is on Antarctica, the star may be visible.}}
{{Example|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:
 
* {{t|he}}: As a rule, whenever X is the case, Y is the case. / As a rule, Y is the case.
* {{t|noeq}}: Despite X being the case, Y is the case. / Nevertheless, Y is the case.
* {{t|ıaq}}: No matter what the answer to X is, Y is the case. / No matter what, Y is the case.