The structure of the semantic domain of modality in Russian: Modelling systemic relations between constructions (based on the Russian Constructicon)

This paper proposes an analysis of systemic relations between constructions with modal semantics in Russian. Based on the data from the Russian Constructicon resource, I build a classification of 124 constructions expressing root (dynamic and deontic) and epistemic meanings. The classification relies on the taxonomy of constructions, which is being developed in recent studies in Construction Grammar and constructicography. This taxonomy involves groups of constructions of various size (namely, families, clusters, and networks of constructions). A constructional family comprises modal constructions with similar semantic (and often also morphosyntactic) properties. Families form larger units — constructional clusters and networks, which have a radial category structure, where more central and more peripheral members can be identified. This paper pinpoints that some semantic domains are better described in terms of scalar rather than radial structures, and epistemic modal constructions serve as an example of such domain. I establish conceptual links between the families of constructions, such as specification vs. generalization strategies, contrast, intensification vs. attenuation of particular semantic components, etc. The classification proposed in the paper contributes both to typology in that it refines the existing view on the structure of modality and its linguistic expression, and to constructicography, which is concerned with the mechanisms of constructional interaction within the system of a given language.