Speaker's experience : a study of Mi'kmaq modality

Inglis, Stephanie Heather (2002) Speaker's experience : a study of Mi'kmaq modality. Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

[English] PDF (Migrated (PDF/A Conversion) from original format: (application/pdf)) - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Download (22MB) [English] PDF - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. (Original Version)

Abstract

This thesis examines the grammaticalization of epistemic modality in AI verbs in Mi'kmaq. The focus of the thesis is on an investigation of the productive use in Mi'kmaq of a system of evidential markers. The data ensuing from the research was analyzed from a typological viewpoint using a comparative functional-cognitive approach, not just with related languages, but with general tendencies concerning modality as found in the majority of the languages of the world. -- The thesis attempts to demonstrate that the Mi'kmaq language has a complex system of modality which works at two levels: primary modality which functions through the use of full and reduced stems to reference an event as either realis or irrealis respectively and secondary modality which functions through the use of various evidential suffixes to represent the speaker's experience. The general premise of the thesis is that Mi'kmaq is a modality prominent language which contains no system of grammaticalized tense.

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