Folklinguistic explorations of modals and quasi-modals in Australian English

Abstract

Changing usage patterns of modal and quasi-modal auxiliaries in English varieties in the past 50 years (Collins 2009; Leech 2003 Millar 2009) have been given explanations in terms of theories of politeness, democratisation and decolonisation (Collins 2005; Leech 2003; Millar 2009; Myhill 1995). This paper uses a folklinguistic approach to explore how Australian English speakers attend to these ideas in their associations with these words. An online survey and eight interviews were conducted, containing an imitation section, which looked specifically at what modal auxiliaries participants thought the identity categories BOGAN, LARRIKIN, and POSH would use in both a high and low obligation context; and an interpretation section, which asked participants for their views on the speakers in four quotes containing a modal auxiliary verb. The results indicate that participants held three main associative groupings around the modal and quasi-modals, which are discussed in this paper in conjunction with ought to, must, had better and need to.