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Abstract:
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It is a fact that some germanic languages, like German, count „particles‟ among their /n/nword type list. This group includes a wide variety of terms with different functions and /n/ncharacteristics. Since particles just acquire meaning with regard to a linguistic and /n/ncultural context, it is not always a simple task to distinguish one type from the other /n/nand, still harder, to define them separately, particularly if it has to do with modal /n/nparticles, the most problematic group of all and the focus of this work. Moreover, /n/nparticles normally appear in colloquial registers, which means that their use is generally /n/nspontaneous and cannot always be generalised, and also in texts such as scripts that /n/nintend to reproduce spoken language. /n/nOn the one hand, the aim of this paper is to provide a compilation of information, /n/nobtained from different specialists that have been analysing and researching it over the /n/nlast decades. This should give the reader a clear idea of the general term „particle‟ and /n/nalso enough knowledge to be able to distinguish the particles which affect the modality /n/nof the whole sentence („modal particles‟) from the other types, such as the ones which /n/nmodifies degree or intensifies an element of the sentence. On the other hand, this work /n/nincludes an analysis of the meaning of some modal particles and their use in the script /n/nof two german films (Die Welle and Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei). The results of this /n/nanalysis are obtained from a document provided to thirty-seven German native /n/nspeakers from different parts of Germany./n/nThe conclusions do not aim not to be categorical, but to provide a close approach to /n/nthe subject, specially because the research has proven that „particles‟ require a more /n/nexhaustive investigation to be understood. |
