Four types of evidentiality in the native languages of Brazil

Author(s)

Hengeveld, Kees ^[1] ; Dall'Aglio Hattnher, Marize Mattos ^[2]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Amsterdam, Amsterdam Ctr Language & Commun, NL-1012 VT Amsterdam - Netherlands

^[2] Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Estudos Linguist & Literarios, BR-15054000 Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: LINGUISTICS; v. 53, n. 3, p. 479-524, MAY 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 12

Abstract

In this paper we argue that the notions generally grouped together under the heading of evidentiality actually belong to four different evidential subcategories, which are different from one another in terms of their semantic scope. The hierarchical, scopal architecture of Functional Discourse Grammar is used to define these four categories. After giving our arguments for this new classification, we test a number of predictions that follow from it concerning the coexistence of evidential subcategories within a language and the co-occurrence of evidential markers in a single clause. We investigate our predictions in a sample of 64 native languages of Brazil. The data from these languages show that the presence of one or more of the four evidential subcategories can be systematically described in terms of an implicational hierarchy. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/09297-0 - The evidentiality in functional discourse grammar: intra- and intercathegorial hierarchical relations
• Grantee: Marize Mattos Dall'Aglio Hattnher
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research