modal evidentiality Flashcards

1
Q

Evidentiality definition

A

an epistemic modality that connotes the speaker’s assessment of the evidence for his or her statement. An evidential is a form, such as a verbal affix, that is a grammatical expression of evidentiality.

linguistic coding of epistemology

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2
Q
Types of evidentiality
direct
reportative
conjectural
partial evidence, inference from results
A

Examples from Cuzco Quechua, Andes, South America (Faller, 2010)
Para-mu-sha-n=mi/=si/=chá/=chu-sina.
rain-CISL-PROG-3=BPG/REP/CONJ/RES
‘It is raining.’
> (i) Direct =mi/=n: speaker sees that it is raining.
> (ii) Reportative, =si/=s: speaker was told that it is raining.
> (iii) Conjectural, =chá: speaker conjectures that it is raining.
¡> (iv) Partial evidence/inference from results, =chu-sina/=(chu)-suna: speaker infers from available
evidence that it is raining

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3
Q

Also, conditional mood, perfect, or passive can develop an evidential-like meaning as a ‘side effect‘ (Aikhenvald)

A

Famous example: the French conditionnel
Marie serait à Paris
Marie be-COND in Paris
“Marie would be in Paris” = “(according to some sources) Marie is in Paris.”

Used to relate information obtained from another source & for which the speaker does not take any
responsibility

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4
Q

CHAFE 1986 5 sources of information

A
  1. BELIEF - no ref to evidence, info already held by speaker
    “I THINK THAT the plan to centralise services will create problems”
  2. INDUCTION - speaker reasons on basis of evidence, but does not specify type
    “The projector MUST be broken”
  3. SENSORY evidence -
    “It SMELLS like theyre having a Bbq next door”
  4. HEARSAY evidence - info acknowledged as being told by others
    “He’s SUPPOSED to be the expert on these types of computers”
  5. DEDUCTION -
    “the snow SHOULD melt more quickly near the sea”
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5
Q

EVIDENTIALITYAND MODALITY - two distinct categories with some overlap

A

> Modality has different ‘flavors’ (logical, deontic, epistemic…)
Evidentiality concerns the SOURCE of information

> > Epistemic modality overlaps with inferential evidentiality (deduction)
Also signals that evidence is indirect/inferred
1. Max is in his office.
2. Max must be in his office.

(2) cannot be uttered if you see Max in his office
>So epistemic modal weaker than assertion

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6
Q

Agreement that there is some hierarchy in strength of evidence

A

Visual > auditory > other sensory evidence > inference from results

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