THE PRAGMATIC MEANING OF MODALITY IN SPANISH LEGISLATIVE TEXTS: FROM ORDER TO POSSIBILITY

Abstract

This article examines the pragmatic significance of modality in Spanish legislative texts, spanning from obligation (deber) to possibility (poder). It explores directive modality (expressing commands and duties), permissive modality (indicating rights and opportunities), and conditional modality (regulating hypothetical scenarios via subjunctive forms), alongside their syntactic features and variations across document types (e.g., Constitution, codes, decrees). The study draws on examples from Constitución Española, Código Civil, highlighting how modality shapes the communicative effectiveness of legal norms. Directive modality, prevalent in codes, ensures clarity of obligations, while permissive modality in constitutional texts underscores rights. Conditional modality, often complex due to subjunctive use, adds flexibility but risks ambiguity. The analysis reveals interpretation challenges stemming from modal ambivalence (e.g., poder as right or possibility), impacting legal application, as evidenced by judicial cases. Building on the dissertation’s communicative-pragmatic framework, the study contributes to understanding modality’s role in Spanish legal discourse, offering insights for linguistics and law. Future research could explore modality in digital legal texts or cross-cultural contexts.

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