Abstract
In this synchronie study of the modal auxiliary verbs. in Han period Chinese, it is shown that they predominantly express root possibility values, while deontic values are mainly restricted to the negated form of the construction. Propositional values (either epistemic or evidential) are almost non-existent and co-occur only with verbs that licence an evidential interpretation. In Part II, the three structures where kÄ. combines with a negative marker are discussed. These are the structures: [NEG Vmod VP], [Vmod NEG VP] and [NEGVmod NEG VP], which mainly express the deontic modalities of prohibition but also root possibility. © 2008 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden.