Aspectual Demension Of Balinese Modal Verbs: Syntactic and Semantic Analysis

Abstract

This paper accounts for the Balinese modals. It focuses on their syntactic and semantic representation. Analyzing them by using modal theory proposed by Quirk (1985) and RRG theory proposed by Van Valin (1999) with the data taken from Balinese novels, and applying a descriptive method, it was found out that syntactically, the Balinese modals specify aspectual dimensions and have a wide range of functions. They can also modify adjectives, statives, and adverbs as well as transitive and intransitive verbs. Besides, they can be used independently or as the heads of constructions. Semantically, the Balinese modals can bring various semantic basis according to degree or mode of accomplishment and they appear in high and low registers.