Language Research

The modal markers "dabe" and "dabɑ" in Mukriyani Kurdish

Zanko Radnia; Gholamhossein Karimi Doostan

Volume 16, Issue 2 , March 2026, , Pages 187-214

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2026.407488.666948

Abstract

Modality is a semantic category which allows the speakers of a language to express their viewpoints on linguistic propositions and talk about the possibility and necessity of potential ... Read More Modality is a semantic category which allows the speakers of a language to express their viewpoints on linguistic propositions and talk about the possibility and necessity of potential events. The present article attempts to investigate the interaction between tense and modality in Mukriyani Kurdish. Mukriyani is a subdialect of Sorani Kurdish which is spoken in some of the Kurdish-speaking cities in Iran such as Mahabad, Bukan, Sardasht, Piranshahr, Naqadeh, Oshnavieh, Miandoab, and Shahin Dezh. In Mukriyani, two words which are frequently employed by speakers as a means of expressing modality are “dabe” and “dabɑ”. They belong to the verbal category and are the equivalents of “bɑjad” and “bɑjesti” in Persian. These modal verbs convey strong necessity (in terms of modal force) and thus are used to express deontic and epistemic modal flavors. The current research indicates that the difference between these two modal verbs lies in the grammatical category of tense, such that “dabe” is marked for the present and “dabɑ” for the past. The results of this paper point to the fact that tense plays an integral role and exercises an important influence on the modules of syntax and semantics. In the domain of syntax, the tense of the modal verb determines the tense of the main verb. Otherwise phrased, the [present] feature of “dabe” dictates the main verb to appear in the present tense as well. In the same fashion, the [past] feature of “dabɑ” causes the main verb to appear in the past tense. In the semantic domain, grammatical tense is instrumental in rendering the modal interpretation of these verbs. More specifically, our findings indicate that “dabɑ” can only be used in order to express deontic modality in the past, whereas “dabe” can be utilized in order to express deontic modality in the present or future as well as epistemic modality. In this context, grammatical aspect is the underlying element which lends us support in distinguishing between the deontic and epistemic interpretations. If “dabe” is accompanied by the perfect aspect, the interpretation is going to be epistemic, but if aspect is lacking in the sentence, the interpretation is going to be deontic.

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Differentiating Evidentiality and Epistemic Modality Based on the Behavior of Persian Adverbials

Vali Rezai; Mozhgan Neisani

Volume 7, Issue 1 , September 2016, , Pages 37-56

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2016.59413

Abstract

This paper attempts to indicate that the two conceptual categories of evidentiality and epistemic modality are distinct although they may look similar; thus their corresponding adverbs ... Read More

Semantic Aspects of "bayad" (must) in Persian

Mohammad Amouzade; Hadaegh Rezaei

Volume 1, Issue 1 , November 2010

Abstract

“ba:y?d” as a Persian lexeme is interwoven with modality, a semantic category and therefore has a complicated and thought- provoking semantic nature. This paper uses evidence from ... Read More

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Keywords = epistemic modality

The modal markers "dabe" and "dabɑ" in Mukriyani Kurdish

Abstract

Differentiating Evidentiality and Epistemic Modality Based on the Behavior of Persian Adverbials

Abstract

Semantic Aspects of "bayad" (must) in Persian

Abstract