Palmer のいう義務様相は「指令的」だと定義されていた(が,後に微妙に変更された)


言語学におけるモダリティ研究ではずせない文献といえばフランク・パーマーせんせいの一連の著述なのですが,彼のいう deontic modality(義務様相,束縛様相)の扱いには注意が必要です.たとえば,must が表す「〜せねばならない」は,義務様相の必然性と力動様相の必然性,2通りに分類されます.

なぜそうなるかと言えば,パーマーせんせいは「指令的な」事例のみを義務様相に数えるよう定義しているからです.(この点はしばしば見過ごされています.)

  • John may be there now.
  • John must be there now.
  • John may come in now.
  • John must come in now.


On the most likely interpretation the first two make judgments about the probability of the truth of the proposition ('what is beinig said') that John is there now, while the second two in some way influence the action of John's coming in, by giving him permission and by imposing an obligation on him to do so. ...
(いちばんありそうな解釈では,前二者は「ジョンがいまそこにいる」という命題(「そこで語られていること」)が真である蓋然性に関する判断を示す一方で,後二者はジョンが入ってくるという動作になんらかのかたちで影響を与える――つまり,入ってくることに許可を与えたり,義務を課したりすることでそうしている.)
(Palmer 1990: 5) *1

These two uses of the modals are distinguished as 'epistemic' and 'deontic' respectively, one of them essentially making a judgment about the truth of the proposition, the other being concerned with influencing actions, states or events and expressing what Searle (1983: 166) calls 'directive" (though the term is a little inappropriate since giving permission can hardly be described a 'directing').
(法助動詞のこれら2つの用法は,それぞれ「認識的」「義務的〔束縛的〕」として区別される.一方は命題の真偽に関する判断を示し,他方は動作・状態・出来事に影響を与えることに関わり,Searle (1983: 166) のいう「指令的〔な発語内行為〕」を表している(ただし,この用語はいささか不適切ではある.許可を与えることは「指令すること」とは言い難いからである.)
(Palmer 1990: 6)

Deontic modality is essentially performative. By using a deontic modal, a speaker may actually give permission (MAY, CAN), lay an obligation (MUST) or make a promise or threat (SHALL). The difference between deontic and dynamic modality is that the former is performative or 'discourse-oriented', the latter is not.
(義務〔束縛〕様相は本質的に遂行的である.義務〔束縛〕的な法助動詞を使用することにより,話し手は実際に許可を与えたり (MAY, CAN),義務を課したり (MUST),約束や脅迫をする (SHALL).義務様相と力動様相の相違点は,前者は遂行的または「談話指向」な一方で後者はそうでない点にある.)
(Palmer 1990: 69)


ただし,この定義は Palmer (2003)*2 ではさりげなく変更されている:

Epistemic: They may be in the office. - They must be in the office.
Deontic: They may/can come in now. - They must come in now.
Dymamic: They can run very fast. - I will help you.

Deontic and Dynamic modality relate directly to the potentiality of the event signaled by the proposition, but of two different types, both of which may both be seen as “directive” – getting things done. Deontic modality is directive in that the event is controlled by circumstances external to the subject of the sentence (more strictly the person or persons identified by the subject). In particular, permission is given with MAY (as in the example above) and an obligation is laid with MUST. With Dynamic modality the control is internal to the subject - in the examples above it is the subject's ability to run fast with CAN and the speaker's willingness to help with WILL. The two different types of directive are very clearly shown in the two uses of CAN (deontic and dynamic). Both are concerned with enabling the subject of the sentence to act, but with Deontic the ability comes from the permission given (externally), with Dynamic the ability comes from the subject's own (internal) ability.
(義務様相と力動様相は,命題が表す出来事の潜在性に直接関連している.その潜在性は両者でタイプが異なっているが,どちらも「指令的」とみなしうる――なにかを成し遂げるのである.義務様相が指令的なのは,その出来事が文主語にとって外的な環境によってコントロールされている点においてである(「文主語」をもっと厳密に言えば主語で同定される人物(たち)).とりわけ,許可は MAY によって与えられ(上記の例のように),義務は MUST によって課される.力動様相では,このコントロールは主語にとって内的なものとなっている――上記の例で言えば,CAN の場合にコントロールは主語の速く走る能力であり,WILL の場合には主語の助ける意志である.この2つの異なる指令的なタイプはじつに明らかに CAN の2つの用法(義務様相と力動様相)にみてとれる.どちらの文主語が行為するのを可能にすることに関わっているが,〈義務様相〉では能力は(外部から)与えられた許可に由来する一方,〈力動様相〉では能力は主語みずからの(内的な)能力に由来している.)
(Palmer 2003: 7)

It was seen in 4.3 that MUST is sometimes used where there is deontic (discourse oriented) modality. Yet it often occurs where, in assertion, there is little or no indication of the involvement of the speaker:

[e.g.] Now I lunched the day before yesterday with one of the leaders of the Labour Party whose name must obviously be kept quiet - I can't repeat it. (S.5.5.35)

[e.g.] It the ratepayers should be consulted, so too must the council tenants. (W.11.5.32)

There are also examples in which the subject is either /I/ or /we/, and it is fairly clear that the meaning is simply 'It is necessary for me/us to ...'. Generally speaking we do not lay obligations upon ourselves:

[e.g.] I have no doubt that I must do what I can to protect the wife. (S.12.4b.38)

[e.g.] Yes, I must ask for that Monday off. (S.2.10.33)

[e.g.] We must have it out and use once or twice. (S.2.10.33)

*1:Frank R. Palmer (1990) Modality and the English Modals. (2nd edition, Longman).

*2:Frank R. Palmer (2003) "Modality in English: Theoretical, descriptive and typological issues," in Facchinetti, Krug and Palmer (eds.) Modality in Contemporary English, Mouton de Gruyter.