Typological Patterns across the Interpersonal Metafuntion Modality in Agricultural Scientifi c Articles: Differences and Similarities both in Portuguese and English

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation is identifying typological patterns of modality present in Brazilian Portuguese and English, specifically in scientific articles in the area of agricultural sciences. This would contribute to the teaching of English for Academic Purposes for graduate students of agricultural sciences. Thus, the authors compare scientific articles both in Portuguese and in English to observe the use of modal patterns. The computational tool AntConc 3.2.1w enables us to both identify and categorize the modalized structures so that use and frequency can be contrasted. The results unveil a strong convergence of use, which envisions the possibility of teaching approaches in the foreign language based on the familiarity with the genre. In conclusion, the authors reflect on the contribution of Systemic Functional Linguistics to the teaching and learning of English in academic context.