What is the case, in general, in your variant of English?

I feel that the statement below covers general BE use of deontic modality. Some BE speakers may disagree with me. How about you? How is deontic modality used, in general, in your variant of English?

"A general semantic characteristic of the deontic use of the central modals is that they may all be used to express subjective deontic modality but do not all so readily permit the expression of objective deontic modality, for which speakers tend to prefer to use an alternative, usually non-auxiliary, modal expression. This is the case with must, may and need (the latter in its auxiliary use in negative interrogative contexts). Speakers generally avoid these forms when expressing objective deontic modality, substituting, respectively, have (got) to, can/be allowed to and non-auxiliary need to (Cf Perkins 1983:63; Palmer 1986:103.)."




Milky: Edited as requested. CJ