Keywords
Tense
Modality
Infinitives
How to Cite
Abstract
The article discusses some aspects of the interaction between tense and modality in the interpretation of modal verbs in Portuguese. It is argued that the complement of all modal verbs can host a future operator that is pronounced as a suffix attached to the verb. It is also argued that the complement of epistemic modals hosts a tense head (present or past) which is raised to the main clause and also pronounced as an affix on the verb. Non-finite complements of epistemic modals are contrasted with non-finite complements of verbs of attitude, which do not instantiate a referential tense or allow temporal raising, resulting in a more transparent morpho-semantic profile.
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