184
I/You Admit and Admittedly
to fi nd, in addition to truth intensifi ers ( indeed , surely ), high- and low- probabil-
ity logical epistemic modals ( probably , necessarily , inevitably , conceivably , per-
haps ) and evidentials ( plainly , seemingly ). The earliest instances of many modal
adverbs date from the Early Modern period and beyond: apparently (1566), cer-
tainly (1596), possibly (1647), avowedly (1656), confessedly (1667), evidently
(1748), undeniably (1758), admittedly (1804), presumably (1846) (Hanson 1987 ;
González- Álvarez 1996 : 227).^15 The end of Late Modern English (c1900) marks
the “watershed” (Swan 1991 : 417) for modal adverbs; the class grows enormously
and becomes semantically diversifi ed (see also Section 6.5 ).
The initial uses of admittedly as a disjunct adverbial date from the fi rst quar-
ter of the nineteenth century (13), though in its earliest usage its scope is fairly
restricted (over an NP or PP). The fi rst instances in which admittedly seems to
have sentential scope occur in subordinate clauses (14); in main clauses, admit-
tedly appears as a sentential disjunct adverbial in the mid nineteenth century
(15). Sentence- initial admittedly is last on the scene, occurring for the fi rst time
in the late nineteenth century (16):
(13) a. the plaintiff, who was one of his nieces and admittedly his heiress at law
(1826 The London Times , Mar. 20, p. 3).
b. In the cellar, there was found an immense quantity of human bones, admit-
tedly in a state of preparation to make skeletons (1826 The London Times,
Apr. 3, p. 3).
c. essays, although of wide range, but admittedly without any consistent plan
(1848 Mill, Principles of political economy [CLMET3.0])
(14) a. I cannot see any reasons which should render it advantageous for me to sell
one half of this property, it being admittedly at the same [time] highly judi-
cious to keep the other half. (1825– 32 Scott, The journal of Sir Walter Scott
[CLMET3.0])^16
b. furnishing large exports, which are admittedly very productive (1848 Mill,
Principles of political economy [CLMET3.0])
(15) a. but this exclusive right assumed by Britain is admittedly not based on a fear
for her safety (1852 New York Times , Sept 22, p. 3 http://www.newspapers.com/
newspage/ 20496229/ )
b. I t i s admittedly the interest of the trunk lines to preserve ... rates intact
(1879 North American Review [COHA])
c. What was he afraid of? There were, admittedly , brown bears and California
lions on the mountain (1883 Stevenson, The Silverado squatters [COHA])
15 On the history of modal adverbs, see Hanson ( 1987 ), Swan ( 1988a , 1988b , 1991 ), Breivik and
Swan ( 1994 ), and González- Álvarez ( 1996 ).
16 An earlier example seems to show disjunct admittedly in a reduced relative clause:
(i) A people, admittedly strangers to perfect cultivation ... are left chiefl y to their own dis-
cretion. (1771 J. W. Baker, Pract. agric. epitomized 27 [OED])