Modality in an android's speech. How modal verbs relate to an android's ability to feel emotions

Abstract

The aim of this essay is to examine how and to what extent the modality in the fictional android Data's language changed when he went from incapable to capable of experiencing human emotions. Focus is on subjective, objective and probability related modality in particular. The conclusion reached in the end is that there is no clear evidence that the frequency and type of modality in Data's speech changes in any significant way from when he is able to feel emotions and when he is not.