modal evidentiality

Question 1

Evidentiality definition

Answer 1

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

Question 2

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

Answer 2

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

Question 3

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

Answer 3

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

Question 4

CHAFE 1986 5 sources of information

Answer 4

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”

Question 5

EVIDENTIALITYAND MODALITY - two distinct categories with some overlap

Answer 5

> 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

Question 6

Agreement that there is some hierarchy in strength of evidence

Answer 6

Visual > auditory > other sensory evidence > inference from results