MODALIDADE DÔNTICA E LÍNGUA INGLESA: UMA INTERFACE.

Abstract

This study is part of an investigation for a dissertation at the post-Graduate Course of Linguistics of Universidade Federal do Ceará – UFC and a sandwich program at University of New Mexico – UNM. The aim of this research is to analyze the manifestation of deontic modality in the interpersonal relations of classroom context and explain how deontic modality occurs in the teacher’s commands and explanations in an English class in Brazilian environment. Teacher’s Statements (commands and explanations) from junior and senior high school teachers of English in official public high schools are analyzed for this purpose. Dik (1989), Palmer (1986) and Lyons (1977) are the basis of our study.