Will
From Creolista!
Noun
testament, volonté
Modal verb
Marks the future, and is very often reduced to the sound / əl / or just / l / in speech.
e.g. it'll, I'll, she'll, etc..
syntax & semantics
- invariable
- cannot be combined with (preceded or followed by) other modal verbs or "to"
- can be followed by the verbal base / bare infinitive (or nothing)
- has at least two main meanings (one "radical" (volition / future), one "epistemic" (certainty))
can | could | capability / possibility |
---|---|---|
will | would | future / certainty / volonté |
shall | should | value judgement / necessity |
may | might | authorization / probability |
must | logical necessity / certainty |
In the 19th century, shall was used with the 1st person singular or plural rather than will. This is no longer the case.