modaalspecifiek

Modaalspecifiek is a term used in linguistics to describe the interaction between modality and referential specificity within a clause. The word blends modaal (modal) and specifiek (specific), and it denotes constructions in which modal meaning (such as possibility, necessity, or permission) is anchored to a specific referent rather than to a generic proposition.

In practice, modaalspecifiek refers to patterns where a modal expression co-occurs with a determiner, demonstrative, or an identifying relative clause that marks a particular, identifiable entity. This can shape how speakers convey who is subject to the modality and which situation is being considered. For example:

- "Only the librarian could have checked the records." Here the modal could/has to be read in the context of a specific referent (the librarian) highlighted by exclusivity.

- "Perhaps the student who submitted the assignment late will be allowed to redo it." A modal possibility is linked to a specific person identified by the relative clause.

- "It may be the person who found the clue." The modality targets a definite referent rather than a general scenario.

Theoretical status of modaalspecifiek is varied. Some linguists treat it as a distinct phenomenon at the crossroads of modality and definiteness or anaphora, while others analyze the effects using separate components for modality and referential marking. The term is not universally standardized and appears mainly in discussions about how speakers combine modality with referential specificity across languages, particularly in Dutch and related Germanic languages.

See also: modality, definiteness, referential expression, evidentiality.