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Chapter 22: Evidentials and Modals

TIAL morphemes and examples
Eng English glosses
dfn terms defined in this chapter
ref terms defined in other chapters
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22.1 Evidentials

The evidentials have to do with indicating the speaker's source of information. They are divided into two kinds: direct and indirect. A direct evidential is one that indicates that the speaker is a witness to the situation, if not an actual participant. An indirect evidential is one that indicates otherwise, but that the speaker has reason to believe the situation is actual. One type involves hearsay.

22.1.1 Direct Evidentials

A direct evidential must be a verb of perception and its complement's verb must have one of the direct aspects: stative, aoristic, or progressive.

me auda te kante.
"I heard you singing." (direct evidential)

nas vida cervo kurre.
"We saw the deer run." (direct evidential)

22.1.2 Indirect Evidentials and Epistemics

This grouping includes:

me auda te bikante.
"I hear that you sing." (indirect evidential)

me sapa te gekante.
"I know that you've sung." (epistemic modal)

22.2 Epistemic Modals

The epistemic modals, denoting possibility and logical necessity, may constitute an additional pair of indirect evidentials.

22.3 Deontic Modals

The deontic modals are concerned with permission and obligation. Since a deontic modal verb and its complement clause have different subject referents, both must appear; however, the deontic usually has the indefinite subject form marked by the proclitic pronominal yo.

yo deba te kante.   "You ought to sing."

yo no lica yo bayle ete.   "Dancing is not permitted here."

me lica le kite.   "I let them leave."

nas deba te dica nas toto.   "We need you to tell us everything."

22.4 Potential Modals

The potential modals are concerned with capability or necessity. Since a potential modal verb and its complement always have the same subject referent, the complement clause's subject is omitted.

me no pota kante.   "I can't sing."


Vocabulary
deba should; require pota can, able to
lica may; permit sapa know


Exercises

Translate into English:
1. .

Translate into TIAL:
1. .


page started: 2010.Jun.28 Mon
current date: 2012.May.11 Fri
content and form originated by qiihoskeh

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