Modal Verbs as Interpersonal Cues in an Early Nineteenth-Century Domestic Manuscript

Abstract

This article examines the interpersonal and pragmatic functions of modal verbs in an early nineteenth-century domestic manuscript by Arabella Philippa Maule. The analysis shows a predominance of epistemic modals, with will as the most frequent form and unusually low use of shall. The higher-than-average presence of should and may produces an advisory tone, while directive, predictive, and advisory uses coexist with strategies of flexibility and care. Overall, Maule’s modal profile balances authority and accommodation within Late Modern English domestic writing.