ON ISSUES CONCERNING MORPHOLOGICO-SEMANTICAL PECULIARITIES OF TAJIK MODAL PARTICLES IN 18TH-CENTURY HISTORICAL PROSE WORKS

1.1. The Nature and Significance of Studying Modal Particles

Within the intricate and multifaceted morphological system of any language, modal particles constitute a specific and often theoretically challenging group of auxiliary parts of speech. Their distinctiveness arises from their primary and fundamental function: to express the speaker's or writer's subjective attitude towards the propositional content of an utterance

Unlike major lexical categories (such as nouns, verbs, or adjectives) that denote objective entities or actions, modal particles are intrinsically devoid of independent lexical meaning. Instead, their communicative potency derives from their strategic incorporation into sentences, where they serve to impart various nuanced semantic relations and pragmatic effects. These effects include, but are not limited to, the expression of doubt, conjecture, affirmation, emphasis, interrogation, concession, and various other epistemic (related to knowledge/belief) and evidential (related to source of information) stances.

The pervasive presence and polyfunctional nature of modal particles render their systematic study crucial. Such investigations are indispensable not only for achieving a comprehensive understanding of the grammatical structure and syntactic behavior of a given language but, more significantly, for meticulously analyzing the pragmatic and stylistic dimensions embedded within a text. They serve as direct linguistic windows into the author's or speaker's “voice”, enabling researchers to discern their underlying position, evaluative stance, and immediate emotional reactions regarding the events or information being conveyed

1.2. Features of the Language of 18th-Century Historical Texts

The 18th century marks a politically and socially turbulent period in the history of Central Asia, characterized by dynamic shifts in power, significant military campaigns, and complex socio-cultural transformations. This epoch consequently represents a vital and fascinating transitional stage in the diachronic development of the Tajik-Persian literary language. The linguistic landscape of historical texts produced during this era, therefore, possesses a unique set of distinctive characteristics. These texts often occupy an intriguing linguistic position, bridging the established, rigid traditions of classical Persian literary language (with its strong Arabic and archaic Persian influences) and simultaneously exhibiting an increasing, albeit subtle, influence from contemporary colloquial speech patterns. This linguistic interface results in a rich blend of formal and expressive elements, demanding specialized linguistic analysis.

The historians of this period, exemplified by seminal figures such as Mīrzā Mahdī Khān Astarābādī and ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Ṭāliʿ, transcended the mere role of passive chroniclers. Their scholarly ambition extended beyond the recording of 'dry facts'; they actively strove to analyze, interpret, and evaluate the historical events they narrated. This inherent methodological commitment to analysis and evaluation, rather than simple factual transcription, directly necessitated the frequent and strategic deployment of subjective modal expression means, among which modal particles played a particularly prominent role. Consequently, a focused and in-depth study of this specific word class in the language of these historical works allows for a deeper and more nuanced understanding of not only the intricate grammatical features and evolutionary trends of the Tajik language during that critical period but also offers invaluable insights into the stylistic and pragmatic strategies employed by these historians in shaping their narratives and influencing reader perception

1.3. Modal Particles as the Research Object: Addressing a Scholarly Lacuna

Despite the acknowledged importance of diachronic linguistics, and notwithstanding the existence of some scholarly investigations into various aspects of the historical grammar of the Tajik language, a systematic and dedicated study of modal particles within the specific, delimited corpus of 18th-century Tajik historical works has not yet been adequately undertaken. This represents a notable scholarly lacuna that the current research endeavors to address comprehensively. Previous studies have predominantly concentrated on the more salient and easily categorizable grammatical components, often overlooking the subtle yet potent contributions of particles to textual meaning and authorial stance.

However, these seemingly minor linguistic units are, in fact, key to unlocking a profound understanding of the author's nuanced attitude towards the depicted events and the information conveyed. For instance, the strategic deployment of the particle gūyo might subtly signal the author's inherent doubt or epistemic reservation regarding the absolute veracity of a reported event or statement, effectively functioning as an evidential marker indicating hearsay or mere conjecture. Conversely, the deliberate use of the particle albatta (certainly) within a historical narrative signifies the author's strong, definitive epistemic commitment to the truthfulness or factual certainty of a particular proposition. The absence of systematic research on these micro-linguistic phenomena has limited our ability to fully appreciate the complex interplay between authorial voice, historical veracity, and stylistic choice in 18th-century Tajik prose. This research, therefore, is explicitly dedicated to shedding light on this understudied issue, aiming to contribute significantly to the fields of historical linguistics, stylistics, and pragmatics as they pertain to the Tajik literary tradition.

1.4. Objectives

The main purpose of this article is to undertake a rigorous, comprehensive analysis and a detailed description of the semantic-functional and stylistic features of modal particles as they are employed in the language of 18th-century Tajik historical prose works. This overarching goal necessitates a meticulous examination of their form, meaning, and contextual deployment within the specific textual genre and historical period.

To achieve this primary purpose, the following specific and actionable objectives are set forth:

– Identification and Collection of Empirical Material: to systematically identify, extract, and compile a comprehensive empirical corpus of all instances of modal particle usage from the selected 18th-century Tajik historical texts. This objective involves a thorough textual survey to ensure maximal data saturation.

– Classification of Modal Particles: to develop and apply a robust classification framework for the identified modal particles, grouping them according to their primary semantic functions (e.g., expressing doubt, conjecture, affirmation, emphasis, interrogation, etc.). This classification will draw upon established linguistic typologies of modality while remaining sensitive to the specific contextual nuances observed in the historical corpus.

– Contextual-Functional Analysis: to conduct a meticulous micro-level contextual analysis of each identified particle's usage. This objective involves discerning not only their primary semantic and pragmatic functions but also identifying any secondary or co-occurring functions within their immediate linguistic environment. Crucially, this analysis will differentiate between particles employed in authorial narration and those used in the direct speech attributed to characters, exploring the distinct communicative intents in each discursive realm.

– Determination of Stylistic and Pragmatic Role: to ascertain the precise stylistic and pragmatic role of modal particles within the overarching structure of historical discourse. This objective entails evaluating how these particles contribute to the narrative's rhetorical impact, its emotional tenor, the author's epistemic stance (e.g., expressing certainty or reservation), and their engagement with the reader.

– Drawing Conclusions on the System of Modal Expression: to synthesize all analytical findings and formulate comprehensive conclusions regarding the broader system of modal expression means that characterized the Tajik literary language of the 18th century. This objective aims to provide a coherent description of how modality was encoded and perceived during this period, offering insights into its distinctiveness compared to earlier or later linguistic stages.

This study systematically employed a multi-faceted array of linguistic methods, specifically tailored for the rigorous analysis of historical textual corpora, to investigate the morphological-semantic and stylistic peculiarities of interjections and modal particles in 18th-century Tajik historical prose.

2.1. Research Design and Methodological Paradigms

The core of the research design involved a qualitative, descriptive-analytical approach. This primary methodological paradigm facilitated the meticulous identification, detailed description, and in-depth analysis of the inherent semantic properties and diverse functional roles of these auxiliary linguistic units. The application involved a granular examination of each particle's occurrence within its specific textual context, allowing for a precise characterization of its contribution to meaning and communicative intent.

Complementing this, principles of the comparative-historical method were systematically integrated. This enabled a diachronic perspective, allowing for a rigorous comparison of the usage patterns of the identified particles with their counterparts in earlier classical Persian linguistic stages and their contemporary manifestations in Modern Tajik. This comparative lens was crucial for discerning evolutionary trends, identifying archaic forms that persisted, and tracing shifts in semantic scope or pragmatic function over time, thereby contextualizing the 18th-century system within a broader linguistic trajectory.

Furthermore, the study leveraged techniques from discourse analysis. These methods were instrumental in discerning the complex pragmatic role played by these particles within the overarching structure of the historical text. By examining interjections and modal particles in their broader discursive environment — including their interaction with surrounding clauses, rhetorical strategies, and the overall narrative flow — we aimed to elucidate the authors' communicative intent, their subjective evaluations of events, and their strategic engagement with the implied readership. This facilitated a move beyond sentence-level grammar to understand the particles' contributions to coherence, argumentation, and the construction of authorial stance, thereby revealing the subtle “author's voice” and its pragmatic dimensions.

2.2. Corpus Selection and Data Collection

The empirical basis for this investigation was a carefully curated corpus comprising five seminal 18th-century Tajik historical works, recognized as representative of the era's formalized literary language: “Jahonkoshoi Nodiri”

The data collection procedure involved a systematic and exhaustive textual survey. Each selected text was meticulously scanned to identify every instance of modal particle usage. For each identified particle, the immediate linguistic context (sentence or a short passage), along with its broader narrative setting (authorial narration or direct character speech), was extracted. This comprehensive compilation served as the raw empirical material for subsequent analysis, ensuring that the findings are grounded in verifiable textual evidence.

2.3. Analytical Framework for Modal Particles

To facilitate a systematic and exhaustive investigation, and to ensure analytical precision, the identified and collected modal particles were rigorously classified into distinct semantic-functional groups. This categorization, serving as the core of the analytical framework, allowed for a precise delineation of each particle's primary contribution to the utterance's meaning and pragmatic effect. The classification system adopted is as follows:

1. Particles Expressing Epistemic Uncertainty and Conjecture: This group comprises particles whose primary function is to indicate a degree of doubt, supposition, likelihood, or a seeming reality. Examples from the corpus include magar, gūyo, shāyad, and ihtimāl. These particles often convey the author's or character's tentative epistemic commitment to a proposition or signal reported/unconfirmed information.

2. Particles Conveying Affirmation and Emphasis: This category includes particles used to express a high degree of certainty, conviction, confirmation, or to add emphasis to a statement. Examples from the corpus include albatta, hāmono, and bē-shubha. Their deployment strengthens the illocutionary force of the utterance.

3. Particles Functioning as Interrogatives with Inherent Modal Nuances: This group specifically focuses on particles that, while often introducing questions, carry an inherent modal overtone beyond simple inquiry. The primary example from the corpus is āyā (a general interrogative particle) and magar (when used in rhetorical questions, implying surprise, challenge, or disbelief). These particles often reflect the speaker's expectation or attitude towards the answer.

This tripartite classification system provided a robust framework for the precise definition, systematic analysis, and comparative evaluation of the functional scope and pragmatic implications of each individual modal particle within the 18th-century Tajik historical prose corpus, directly supporting the overarching aims of this research.

Analysis of Modal Particle Usage in 18th-Century Works

The systematic analysis of the linguistic material extracted from the designated corpus of 18th-century Tajik historical works reveals a consistent and strategically significant employment of modal particles. These particles were extensively utilized by authors not merely as grammatical markers, but as potent tools for expressing a range of subjective attitudes, epistemic stances, and affective nuances within a genre typically characterized by its formal and purportedly objective style. The following subsections present a detailed analysis of some of the most prominent modal particles identified, elucidated with specific contextualized examples.

3.1. The Particle gūyo

The modal particle gūyo emerged as one of the most productive and semantically versatile modal units within the analyzed historical prose. Its primary functions in the 18th-century corpus can be delineated into two core categories, both pertaining to the expression of epistemic modality.

3.1.1. Expression of Conjecture, Supposition, and Apparent Nature

In its first primary function, gūyo is employed to convey meanings of conjecture, supposition, or the apparent nature of an action or state. It signals that the proposition being presented is based on perception, inference, or a seeming reality rather than absolute certainty (“as if”, “seemingly”, “apparently”). This function often carries an implicit subjective evaluation from the author.

Example 1: Abulfayzkhān dar Ark-i Bukhārā ba ʿaysh-u nūsh mashghūl bud va gūyo az on ki dushman az har sū hame-rasīd, khabar nadāsht

In this illustrative instance, the author, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Ṭāliʿ, strategically deploys gūyo to introduce a subtle yet profound epistemic qualification regarding the state of Abulfayzkhān's awareness. By employing gūyo, the author refrains from a definitive assertion that the Khan “had no news”. Instead, the particle implicitly indicates a degree of authorial doubt or even a veiled critique of the Khan's perceived ignorance. The phrase “gūyo he had no news” suggests that, to outward appearances, the Khan seemed unaware, but simultaneously opens up the possibility of dissimulation or culpable negligence on his part. This represents a sophisticated pragmatic maneuver, allowing the historian to convey a critical viewpoint or judgmental stance without resorting to an explicit, direct statement, thus maintaining a semblance of narrative objectivity while subtly guiding reader interpretation towards a critical assessment of the historical figure's conduct.

3.1.2. Expression of Reported or Unconfirmed Information (Evidentiality)

The second significant function of gūyo in the corpus is its role in marking reported or heard information whose veracity the author explicitly or implicitly does not guarantee. This function aligns with the concept of evidentiality, where the particle signals the source of information as being indirect or hearsay, thus allowing the author to disclaim full responsibility for its absolute truth.

Example 2: Dar miyān-i sipāhīyān āvāza pahn shud, ki gūyo Khān-i Khiva bā Nādir Shāh pinhonī sāzish karda ast

Here, gūyo operates as a clear evidential marker. The author is reporting a “rumor” (āvāza), a piece of information that is inherently unconfirmed and circulated informally. By appending gūyo to the reported content, the historian pragmatically signals that the subsequent clause (the Khan of Khiva had secretly conspired with Nādir Shāh) is not presented as a definitively established fact but as mere hearsay or speculation prevalent among the soldiers. This strategic use allows the author to maintain narrative distance from unverified information, fulfilling a critical function in historical prose where the veracity of sources is paramount. It enables the historian to include information that contributes to the narrative's completeness or realism (e.g., showing the mood or information flow within the army) without compromising the author's overall epistemic commitment to verifiable truth. The particle thus becomes a subtle yet powerful tool for managing epistemic responsibility in complex historical reporting.

3.2. The Particle magar

The particle magar in the 18th-century historical works exhibits a remarkable polyfunctionality, extending its usage beyond mere interrogative sentences to encompass a variety of intricate modal nuances. Its versatility allows authors to convey implicit attitudes, expectations, and degrees of certainty or disbelief.

3.2.1. Expression of Rhetorical Questions with Emphatic or Negative Nuance

One of magar's prominent functions is to introduce rhetorical questions that do not solicit a genuine answer. Instead, these questions are designed to convey strong emphasis, astonishment, disbelief, or to implicitly assert a negative proposition. They serve as a powerful rhetorical device, often reflecting the author's or a character's critical judgment or frustration.

Example 3: Har chand amīrān ūro nasihat kardand, ki in iqdām khatarnāk ast va bāʿis-i fitna khāhad shud, ʿUbaydullāh Khān qabūl nakard. Magar ū na-medonist, ki ʿāqibat-i zulm chi khāhad bud?

In this compelling example, the question “Magar ū na-medonist?” is patently not a request for information. It functions as a potent rhetorical question through which the author expresses profound astonishment and emphasis regarding the Khan's intransigence and apparent lack of foresight. The inclusion of magar transforms a simple negative interrogative into a forceful rhetorical device, conveying the author's implicit judgment: “Surely, he must have known, yet he chose to disregard the counsel”. This modal particle thereby allows the historian to convey a strong critical stance against the character's actions, highlighting their culpability or grave error in judgment, without resorting to explicit authorial commentary. It serves to engage the reader emotionally and intellectually, prompting them to share in the author's implied consternation.

3.2.2. Expression of Doubt and Conjecture (Epistemic Probability)

Beyond rhetorical questioning, magar also frequently functioned to express a nuanced sense of doubt, conjecture, or epistemic probability. In this usage, it indicates that the proposition is not stated as a definitive fact but as a plausible supposition or an approximation.

Example 4: Chūn lashkar ba Hisor rasīd, magar dah hazār nafar budand va āmāda-yi jang mē-istādand

In this example, magar is employed to convey a meaning of supposition and conjecture, translating to “perhaps they were ten thousand men” or “approximately ten thousand men”. This usage highlights the author's epistemic uncertainty regarding the precise numerical strength of the army. It acknowledges that the reported figure is an estimation or a commonly held belief, rather than a definitively confirmed count. This function of magar is particularly significant in historical prose, where exact figures might be unattainable. The particle allows the historian to provide a plausible estimate while simultaneously signaling the inherent limitations of their knowledge or sources. This specific usage of magar is notably less common in Modern Tajik, where other particles or lexical means would typically express similar meanings (e.g., shāyad, taqriban). Its prevalence in the classical language and the language of the 18th-century corpus thus marks it as an important feature reflecting the modal expression system of that historical period.

3.3. The Particle albatta

The particle albatta (from Arabic), in the works of this period, fully performed its primary function — expressing affirmation, certainty, and conviction. Authors used it to emphasize their point and dispel any doubt.

Example 5: In pirūzī, ki ba tadbīr-i bē-nazīr-i sardār ba dast āmad, albatta rūhiya-yi sipāhīyān-rā buland bardāsht va dushman-rā ba haras afkand

By using albatta, the author gives a definitive assessment of the victory's outcome. He has no doubt about its positive effect and conveys this certainty to the reader.

Example 6:  Shāh ba on farzāna-mardi khiradmand guft: “Raʿy-i tu, albatta, az hama behtar ast va mā onro qabūl khāhem kard”

In this character's speech (the king), albatta is used to express complete and unconditional confidence in the vizier's opinion. It lends formality and definitiveness to the utterance.

3.4. The Particle hāmono

This particle, which has almost fallen out of use in the modern language, was very active in 18th-century works, primarily used to express comparative emphasis and continuation/concession. It often conveyed meanings like “certainly”, “undoubtedly”, “nevertheless”, “however”.

Example 7: Har chand dushman dar shumāra bartarī dāsht, sipāh-i Nādir hāmono bā jasārat-i bēshtar mē-jangīd

Here, hāmono means “however” or “nevertheless”, emphasizing the courage of Nādir's army in the face of the enemy's numerical advantage. It creates a strong contrast.

3.5. The Particles shāyad and ihtimāl

These two particles, both expressing conjecture and possibility, were used abundantly in the works of this period. Shāyad often carried a more emotional and polite nuance, while ihtimāl (Arabic origin) was used more in scientific and formal styles.

Example 8: Az har gūsha-yi mamlakat khabarhā-yi pareshān mē-rasīd va shāyad baʿzī az onho durūgh bud, ammā vahm-rā dar dil-i mardum mē-afzūd

By using shāyad, the author expresses his conjecture about the falsehood of some reports. This allows him to act as a cautious historian.

Example 9: Sabab-i aslī-yi in shūrish, ihtimāl, zulm-i az hadd ziyād-i sipāhīyān bar raʿīyat bud –

Here, the author presents his hypothesis about the cause of the rebellion. The use of ihtimāl lends a scientific, analytical nuance to his conclusion, presenting it as a logical hypothesis rather than an absolute fact.

3.6. The Interrogative Particle āyā

The particle āyā was mainly used in direct yes/no questions, lending a formal and literary tone to the utterance.

Example 10: Khān az vazīr-i khud pursid: “Āyā khazīna-yi dawlat barāyi jamʿ āvardan-i lashkar-i nav kifāyat mē-kunad?”

In this dialogue, āyā forms a direct and formal question. This form of question, compared to intonational questions (without a particle), is more common in historical prose.

The comprehensive and meticulous analysis of the linguistic material collected from 18th-century Tajik historical works permits the formulation of several significant theoretical conclusions regarding the nature, status, and functional dynamics of the system of modal particles within the language of that specific period. This discussion section elaborates on these conclusions, connecting the empirical findings to broader linguistic theories and highlighting their implications for understanding historical Tajik prose.

4.1. A Developed and Nuanced System of Modal Expression

The research results unequivocally demonstrate that the Tajik literary language of the 18th century possessed a remarkably developed and sophisticated system for expressing various modal relationships. This system provided authors with a rich and extensive repertoire of linguistic units that enabled them to encode and convey subtle nuances of epistemic (e.g., certainty, doubt, conjecture), deontic (e.g., obligation, permission), and evaluative modalities with considerable precision. This sophisticated inventory included both native Tajik lexical items, such as shāyad (perhaps, maybe), alongside a significant integration of Arabic borrowed words, exemplified by particles like albatta (certainly, undoubtedly), and ihtimāl (possibly, probably),

The coexistence and active deployment of these diverse modal particles underscore the lexical richness and semantic granularity available to 18th-century Tajik literati. This blend of indigenous and assimilated forms speaks to a vibrant linguistic environment, where contact with Arabic — a historically influential source of scholarly and religious lexicon – contributed to the expansion and refinement of grammatical tools. The ability to articulate fine-grained distinctions in the speaker's epistemic commitment (from strong affirmation to cautious conjecture) suggests a highly evolved pragmatic competence within the literary discourse of the era. This refutes any notion of a rudimentary modal system, instead positing a robust mechanism for modulating the degree of truth, likelihood, or desirability attributed to propositions within the historical narrative.

4.2. Profound Pragmatic and Stylistic Contributions of Modal Particles

Beyond their inherent grammatical function of indicating modality, the analysis unequivocally confirmed that modal particles in 18th-century historical prose performed a profoundly significant pragmatic and stylistic role. Their strategic deployment enabled the author to achieve complex communicative and rhetorical effects, shaping both the interpretation of the narrative and the engagement of the reader:

a) Epistemic Distancing and Objectivity: The use of particles such as gūyo (as if, seemingly) or shāyad (perhaps, it might be) allowed the historian to deliberately maintain an epistemic distance from the veracity of certain reported information. This strategy facilitated a position of apparent neutrality, enabling the author to present accounts that may have been based on hearsay, speculation, or less verifiable sources, without explicitly endorsing or definitively confirming them. This pragmatic hedging served to protect the author's credibility while acknowledging the inherent uncertainties in reconstructing historical events, thus aligning with an implicit expectation of historical objectivity, even if occasionally breached elsewhere

b) Rhetorical Engagement and Reader Interactivity: Particles like magar (is it not, perhaps) and āyā (do/does (did/done), have/has (had), am/is/are (was/were) were frequently employed in rhetorical questions, functioning as powerful tools for engaging the reader actively in the interpretive process. By posing questions that did not necessarily demand a direct answer but rather invited contemplation, the author prompted the reader to delve more deeply into the underlying causes, implications, or moral dimensions of the presented historical events. This technique transformed the historical text from a mere monologue into a more interactive dialogue, encouraging critical reflection and a deeper immersion in the narrative's complexities.

c) Assertion Reinforcement and Epistemic Strengthening: Conversely, the judicious application of particles such as albatta (certainly, undoubtedly) or bē-shubha (without doubt) at appropriate junctures served to bolster the illocutionary force of the author's statements. By foregrounding a high degree of certainty and definitiveness, these particles lent considerable strength and conviction to the historian's conclusions, judgments, or interpretations. This stylistic choice could be strategically used to emphasize crucial factual assertions, highlight undeniable truths, or underscore the author's unwavering conviction regarding certain historical outcomes, thereby enhancing the overall textual credibility and persuasive power of the narrative.

In essence, these particles were not merely decorative elements but integral components of the communicative architecture of 18th-century Tajik historical prose, enabling authors to navigate the complex interplay of factual reporting, subjective evaluation, and rhetorical engagement.

4.3. Diachronic Evolution within the Modal Particle System

A comparative analysis of the usage patterns of these modal particles in 18th-century texts with their contemporary manifestations in Modern Tajik reveals discernible evolutionary trends within the system of modal expression. This diachronic perspective offers valuable insights into the dynamic nature of grammatical change:

– Lexical Attrition and Archaism: For instance, the modal particle hāmono (presumably, as if, just as), which was demonstrably active in the 18th-century corpus, has undergone significant lexical attrition and has almost entirely disappeared from common modern usage. Its presence in contemporary Tajik is largely confined to scholarly reproductions of classical texts or highly specialized literary contexts, marking it as an archaic form

– Semantic Drift and Pragmatic Reanalysis: The particle magar provides a compelling example of semantic drift and subsequent pragmatic reanalysis. While in the 18th-century corpus, magar frequently carried a strong conjectural or suppositional meaning (e.g., “perhaps it is so”), in Modern Tajik, it has largely lost this conjectural nuance. Its primary function has shifted, becoming predominantly an interrogative-rhetorical unit, used to express surprise, disbelief, or to challenge a proposition implicitly (e.g., “Are you serious?”, “Is that really true?”). This demonstrates how a linguistic form can retain its general pragmatic function (questioning/challenging) but undergo a significant shift in its underlying modal meaning over centuries

These observed diachronic shifts collectively indicate that the system of modal expression in Tajik has undergone notable transformations over the last two centuries. The study of these specific changes in particle inventory, frequency, semantic scope, and pragmatic function could undoubtedly be the subject of separate, dedicated historical sociolinguistic and corpus-based research. Such future studies would further illuminate the micro-level mechanisms of language change and provide a more comprehensive understanding of the continuous evolution of Tajik literary language.

The analysis of the morpho-semantic features of modal particles in the corpus of authoritative 18th-century historical works leads to the following conclusions:

1. The Tajik literary language of the 18th century possessed a developed system of modal particles serving to express a wide range of subjective attitudes, including doubt and conjecture (gūyo, magar, shāyad, ihtimāl), affirmation and emphasis (albatta, hāmono), and interrogation (āyā, magar).

2. The particle gūyo was mainly used to express unconfirmed information and the apparent nature of an action, while magar was used to express rhetorical questions and supposition, making them among the most polyfunctional units.

3. The use of these particles was not merely grammatical; they were important stylistic and pragmatic tools in the hands of historians, enabling them to express their stance, impart various nuances to the text, and establish an intellectual connection with the reader.

4. Comparison with modern Tajik shows that some of these particles and their meanings have either disappeared or their scope of usage has become more restricted in the course of historical linguistic evolution, which is a natural phenomenon of language development.

In a nutshell, the corpus of our study confirms that an in-depth study of auxiliary parts of speech within the corpus of historical texts holds significant theoretical and practical importance for a profound understanding of not only the grammatical structure but also the style and pragmatics of the language of past eras.