LEXICAL FEATURES OF MODAL WORDS

Abstract

The aim of this research is to develop a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the modal phenomenon by exploring the commonalities, interrelations, and distinctions among lexical, grammatical, and modal meanings. This study seeks to examine the origins and historical development of modal words in the language and to identify their lexical features through systematic and targeted analysis. This is especially pertinent in Kazakh, where a number of elements currently classified as modal words are in fact borrowed concepts or lexemes that have shifted from other word classes over the course of linguistic development. The findings of this research delineate a more precise theoretical distinction between modality and predicativity in Kazakh and related Turkic languages, demonstrating the function of modal words as mediators between the speaker’s evaluative stance and the predicate structure of the sentence. The paper details how prosodic and intonational characteristics signal modality, highlighting how they work in tandem with lexical and grammatical markers to create particular modal meanings. Methodologically, the research employed qualitative, descriptive-analytical, and comparative approaches.