Epistemic and Deontic Modal Meaning

What you’ll learn

Distinguish judgments about truth from rules and permission.

បែងចែក modal ដែលសន្និដ្ឋានពី modal បង្ហាញកាតព្វកិច្ច។

Meaning and use

The same modal can express different kinds of meaning. Epistemic modality concerns what is likely true; deontic modality concerns permission or obligation. You must be tired usually expresses a deduction, while you must wear a helmet imposes a requirement. Interpret the whole situation rather than assigning one translation to each modal.

Modal មួយអាចបង្ហាញការសន្និដ្ឋាន ឬកាតព្វកិច្ច។ Must be tired ជាការសន្និដ្ឋានអំពីការពិត; must wear a helmet ជាតម្រូវការ។ ត្រូវបកស្រាយតាមបរិបទ។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Evidence-based judgment	She must be at home; her car is outside.
Rule or permission	You must sign here. / You may leave now.

Examples

1. You must be hungry after missing lunch.

   អ្នកប្រាកដជាឃ្លាន ព្រោះខកអាហារថ្ងៃត្រង់។

2. Visitors must sign in.

   ភ្ញៀវត្រូវចុះឈ្មោះ។

3. She may be in a meeting.

   នាងប្រហែលជាកំពុងប្រជុំ។

4. You may use this desk.

   អ្នកអាចប្រើតុនេះបាន។

Everyday conversation

Dara: Does must always mean a rule?

Maly: No. In You must be tired, it expresses a conclusion from evidence.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
She musts be busy.	She must be busy.	The modal does not inflect for third person.
You may to enter.	You may enter.	Modal may takes the bare infinitive.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Classify: The lights are off; they must be asleep.
2. Classify: Applicants must submit two references.
3. Explain two readings of You may leave now.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. Epistemic deduction.

   The speaker judges what is likely true.

2. Deontic requirement.

   The sentence states an obligation.

3. Permission to leave, or in a suitable context a possibility that you will leave.

   Context resolves the modal meaning; the words alone can be ambiguous.

Quick recap

• Evidence-based judgment: She must be at home; her car is outside.
• Rule or permission: You must sign here. / You may leave now.