Abstract
This paper discusses the problem of the future tense in Bularian, Macedonian and SerboCroatian in comparison with English. The problem of the future is, as it is shown in the article, strictly connected to the problem of modality. The modal clement can occur on the surface structure of the future forms, like in Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbo-Croatian, English and Romanian (the last language is not a subject of this work), or can be absent on the surface (like in Polish). The structure of the "Balkan" future is similar to the English future, but English is characterized by more numerous ways of creation of this tense. Some of the structures, as shown in the article, have a "pure" future meaning - without of the semantic component of modality. The use of the present tense as a future occurs more frequently in English, but in Bulgarian (especially in the literary language) the present in that function can be used too. Thus, wc can assert that the semantic structure of the future in these languages has its reflexion on the surface, namely, the constructions containing any modal auxiliary verb (mainly in English) arc marked, but the construction without any modal verb (e.g. Simple Present as a Future, Immediate Future) arc unmarked. The main difference between Balkan Slavonic languages and English is a number of ways of creation of the future.
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