A probabilistic semantics for modal QAD in standard Arabic

Gradable Epistemic Modals (GEMs) such as certain or likely have been analyzed to the semantics of gradable adjectives, which constrain their epistemic modality. This squib analyzes modal use sentential particle qad in Standard Arabic has following puzzling behavior: gives rise certainty/likelihood modality meaning only when it is composed with tense expression its propositional complement. Modal then manifests itself an extreme, non-gradable no lexically encoded but grammatically derived scale meaning. A probabilistic proposed derive truth conditions based on a monotonic, time-world branching model. The analysis assigns maximum degree likelihood past triggers certainty. It also minimum likelihoods present possibility.