User:Robbiemuffin/A Linguistic Presentation of English Grammar Graphics/Relative Concatentation Text

Relative concatenation occurs when the modifying words can be distant from that which they modify, without intentionally splitting them. In english, almost all verbs can modify others by standing-in for an adverb, and these changes may be seen as qualities much like grammatical mood ("he didn't just run, he sprint-ran"). This is rather like the regular infinitive use of the verb, and the frequency of the xact stand-in determines how acceptable a usage this is.

However, some verbs cannot occur with their infinitives ("to should" makes no sense), at least not without an obviously distinct sense to the meaning of the word ("to can" makes sense if you mean putting things in a can, but this is very different from the relative sense of the verb): these are modal verbs. They cover three different moods. However, here we will treat them as though there were four moods, the addition being the normative.

Some of the moods and related qualities of the modal verbs are serial, but most others can be split to varying degrees. (Though none to the extent of relative tense, whereas a word like tomorrow can appear anywhere in the sentence, it's position having no valuation of the correctness of the sentence nor meaning of the future-tensed verb.) If the mood does have a relative construction that is reversable (the precedent can become the antecedent) in certain constructions, then it is listed here and the forms which have a legitimate relative construction have elpsises in between them.

One of the problems in presenting these verb qualities is that none of the modal verbs are as free as a relative tense system would be. Of course all of them compete in an analytic language, so that, to distinguish from simple verb-shading in a normal analytic sense, they must not only be commonplace but also have a high degree of restriction in their use. This leads to the general supposition that one must teach the general rules, sample specific patterns, and then accept a much wider degree of variance in the result.

Especially as english becomes a global, lingua-franca, it's modal verbs will expand, and in fact its verbs in general may gain different senses to their current definitions. The indian dialect of english is a great example of how the normal method, of the application of abstract rules, even when fairly complicated and specific, still leaves enough leeway to produce a characteristically and significantly different set of modal verbs. Southern american dialects are another solid example. Still, when someone says "I'm fixin' to hunt tomorrow." or "I don't want rain today but I hope it will rain.", after the initial shock at the unfamiliarity of the usage, we can come to understand the specific meaning analytically. (fixing to as intention, and hope as expectation.) This is a great strength of the english language.

The Conditional Mood effects the if clause of an uninstantiated cause-and-effect statement with such an if clause. It fairly strictly requires more than one clause. («Someone who likes red and hates yellow would probably prefer strawberries to bananas» does not explicitly use the word “if”; still it is conditional.) It is a specific instance of the subjunctive.

The Subjunctive Mood effects the principle verb in any statement about possiblity, probability, expectation, etc. This includes uninstaniated cause-and-effect statements. («I hope you like pudding.» is subjunctive even though there is no cause-and-effect statement.)

The previous two moods are serial constructors, covered in the next section.

	uncertainty
possibility quality	may [be] … Lemmanonpast might [be] … Lemmanonpast	It may be happening. It might be true. It can happen to you. After a setup like that, it could happen to anyone. You could have smiled more.
	may have … Lemmapast might have … Lemmapast
	can [be] … Lemmanonpast could [be] … Lemmanonpast
	could have … Lemmapast

The Normative Mood expresses wishes, hopes, desires, that which is poper, expected, ideal, and the inverse of those things. It adds emphasis (like the intensive tenses in some treatments, etc), and is used for assertion.

	norms & opinions
normative mood	should Lemmanonpast would … Lemmanonpast indefinite number	I should hope not! Oh would that it were true! I think you should leave now.
idealization quality	should … Lemmanonpast ought … Lemmanonpast inf	He should be here already! That ought to be illegal.
emphatic quality	must Lemmanonpast do … Lemmapresent	You must rest, you have heat exhaustion. Please do tell! (Tell us; yes, do please!)
ability quality	can … Lemmanonpast could … Lemmanonpast	You can do it! You could always just say no. It couldn't have been worse.
	could have … Lemmapast
irrelevance quality	may … Lemmanonpast could … Lemmapresent	The Cowboys may win the superbowl, but I'll always like the Redskins. You may be smarter than me, but I'm taller. Sewer rat could taste like pumpkin pie, but I still wouldn't eat it.

The Imperative Mood expresses direct commands or requests. It is also used to signal a prohibition, permission, cohoration, or any other kind of exhortation.

	inducement
imperative mood	must Lemmanonpast 2nd/3rd have … Lemmainf 2nd/3rd	You must do your duty. Do as you have to.
obligation quality	ought … Lemmainf [had] better … Lemmanonpast	You ought to do your homework. She had better watch her step.
openness, necessity quality	have Lemmainf best Lemmanonpast can … Lemmanonpast may … Lemmanonpast	You have to be more careful! You best not get too near that bear. Can you pass me the scissors please? Be that as it may … There had to be an easier way! Could none more easily have won.
	[best] had Lemmaany could … Lemmapast
intention quality	would … Lemmanonpast shall … Lemmanonpast 1st	You wouldn't hit a man with glasses... Shall we dance?