a type of modality which expresses the attitude of a speaker or other conceiver toward performing an action (i.e. making the action come true). Example: Jerry must get his hair cut is an instance of deontic modality: the speaker expresses her attitude that the situation necessarily will come about. Deontic modality is construed broadly in this textbook, to include wishes as well as intentions and commands, attitude toward oneself performing the action as well as toward others performing the action, and to include objective as well as subjective characterization of the attitude. (Sections 12.1, 12.4)