Should with non-past reference

Amsterdam studies in the theory and history of linguistic science. Series 4, Current issues in linguistic theory, pp. 225–242

Abstract

Abstract This chapter combines a quantitative and a qualitative analysis of the use of should with non-past reference in the historical periods Old English, Middle English (ME), and Early Modern English (EModE). It is based on data from the Helsinki Corpus of English Texts and the Middle English Dictionary . The quantitative analysis detects a few late ME examples, but establishes EModE as the period when should with non-past reference became firmly established, and from the qualitative analysis the conclusion is derived that should as a competitor of the present subjunctive in mandative constructions developed as a result of its meaning extension from obligation to other shades of non-fact modality.

Authors 1

1. Lilo Moessner corresponding Aachen

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University