Particulas modais do português

Abstract

The author demonstrates how some Portuguese lexemes such as acaso, afinal, bem, cá, então, etc, traditionally considered as adverbs, should be more adequately classified as modal particles (MPs). Syntactic arguments are offered in order to delimitate PMs from adverbs and sentence .adverbs, and the notion of a certain type of modality is discussed as a contribution to the definition/description of the MPs. The (pragmatic) functions of the MPs afinal, sempre and então in interrogative sentences as used in certain situations. and contexts are analysed.