Strategies and word order of modal possibility
This parameter considers the strategies and word order used to express modal possibility (Psbl), including the use of affixes and independent words. Basic intransitive1 sentences should be considered.
Types:
NoPsbl: Possibility is expressed through clause-level strategies2 rather than verbal modality.
NoMorfPsbl: Possibility is expressed by a strategy that does not rely on separate, identifiable morphemes.3
PrefPsbl: Possibility is expressed through the use of prefixes attached to the verb stem.
InfPsbl: Possibility is expressed through the use of infixes inserted into the verb stem.
SuffPsbl: Possibility is expressed through the use of suffixes attached to the verb stem.
CrcfPsbl: Possibility is expressed through the use of circumfixes attached to the verb stem.
VPsbl: Possibility is expressed through the use of an independent word that appears (indirectly or directly) after the (main) verb.
PsblV: Possibility is expressed through the use of an independent word that appears (indirectly or directly) before the (main) verb.
When a language displays more than one strategy, multiple values can be listed, with the exception of NoPsbl. If one type of strategy is dominant, a slash (/) can separate the values, with the dominant value appearing first; if there are no dominant strategies, the values should be listed with an ampersand (&) separating the two.
1: E.g. with verbs such as come, go, etc. in basic word order.
2: Sentential modifiers belong here, together with introducing modality in the form of a main clause such as It is possible that…, It may be the case that…, with the lexical verb appearing in an embedded sentence. Such constructions do not belong to the grammatical category of verbal mood, they are logical modalites, not addressed by this parameter. The language is associated with this parameter only in case it has no other (grammatical) means to express possibility, that is, none of the other parameter values is applicable.
3: This value includes the use of internal flexion and tone.