Difference between revisions of "Evidentiality"
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Haspelmath (talk | contribs) (Epistemic modality moved to Evidentiality) |
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− | + | '''Evidentiality''' is a way of marking [[epistemic modality]], i.e. how we know something is true. Some languages mark evidentiality in their verb system. | |
+ | |||
+ | ===Example=== | ||
+ | Turkmen, for example, has four levels of evidentiality - direct, inferred, assumed, and reported. These are marked in the following way: | ||
+ | |||
+ | ''al-dy'' 's/he took'; | ||
+ | ''al-ypdyr'' 's/he took (but I didn't see it)'; | ||
+ | ''alan eken'' 's/he apparently took'; | ||
+ | ''al-anmyş'' 'it is rumoured that s/he took'. | ||
+ | |||
+ | It is important to use these correctly, otherwise the wrong impression can be conveyed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Other languages=== | ||
+ | German [[Evidenzialität]] | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{dc}} | ||
+ | [[Category:Modality]] |
Revision as of 13:42, 11 December 2007
Evidentiality is a way of marking epistemic modality, i.e. how we know something is true. Some languages mark evidentiality in their verb system.
Example
Turkmen, for example, has four levels of evidentiality - direct, inferred, assumed, and reported. These are marked in the following way:
al-dy 's/he took'; al-ypdyr 's/he took (but I didn't see it)'; alan eken 's/he apparently took'; al-anmyş 'it is rumoured that s/he took'.
It is important to use these correctly, otherwise the wrong impression can be conveyed.
Other languages
German Evidenzialität