MODAL VERBS AND SPEECH ACTS IN GERMAN LANGUAGE ON THE BASIS OF EXAMPLES FROM THE NOVEL „THE LOST HONOUR OF KATHARINA BLUM“ – HEINRIC BÖLL

Abstract

Abstract: The subject of this study is the modal verb müssen and its role in the formation of speech acts in the German language. The analysis is based on examples from the novel The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum by Heinrich Böll and its Macedonian translation Изгубената чест на Катарина Блум by Emilija Bojkovska. The focus of the research is the use of the verb müssen in different grammatical structures, examining both its deontic and epistemic meanings and their influence on the illocutionary force of the speech act. This approach enables a deeper understanding of the interaction between grammar and pragmatics in the German language.
Key words: modal verb, speech acts, illocutionary force, deontic and epistemic meaning