Category Of Evidentiality Research Articles

РОЛЬ СЕМЕЙНОЙ ЯЗЫКОВОЙ СРЕДЫ В ФОРМИРОВАНИИ ТЕОРИИ СОЗНАНИЯ У РОМСКИХ (ЦЫГАНСКИХ) ДЕТЕЙ

The article presents a study of Roma (Gypsy) children from Bulgaria as a contribution to the development of the Theory of Mind. In two studies (n = 60), so-called Fals Belief Tasks were conducted with children aged 3 to 6. The first survey was conducted with 30 rural children, and the second with 30 urban children living in a big city (capital). In both groups, the children are naturally bilingual, do not attend kindergarten, and in both cases Bulgarian is their second language and is learned at home. In the first study, children were given 4 tests for false beliefs, and in the second, two tests of the same type and two language tests. The purpose of the author was to identify the factors that contribute to the early assimilation of the theory of mind by Roma children and to experimentally establish the extent to which recognition of interrogative sentences with the mental verb “I want” and the grammatical category of evidentiality affects the development of the theory of mind in bilingual Roma children. The results unambiguously show that Roma children who grow up in large Roma families consisting of 2–3 generations acquire the Theory of Mind earlier (at the age of 3–4) compared to English-speaking children, who acquire it only between the ages of 4 and 3.5. The reason for this is that in large Roma families, children hear different registers, all in conversations with children use complex linguistic structures, which turn out to be very important for mastering the Theory of Mind. Unfortunately, the results of the second study did not support the expectation that there would be a statistically significant correlation between interrogative sentences and the category of evidentiality and theory of mind tests. The analysis was carried out using mathematical and statistical methods (t-tests and SPSS).

Реализация модусной категории «эвиденциальность» в условиях цифровизации дискурсивного пространства

The article is devoted to the peculiarities of the functioning of the modus category of evidentiality in media discourse in the context of digitalization. The study of evidentiality is motivated by the importance of identification of the information source and the nature of the information communicated. The purpose of this research is to reveal the features of the representation of types of evidentiality in the digital discourse space. The objectives of the article include analysis of the feasibility of taking evidential semantics as a subject matter in the study of news discourse as well as provision of arguments substantiating the predominance of indicators of explicit evidentiality in news discourse in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The material under study includes 1,000 English-language contexts from articles about the pandemic taken from the website of The Economist magazine via the continuous sampling method. The relevance of the research is due to insufficient study of evidentiality from this perspective, as well as the need to study the axiological evidential meanings generated by a communication participant when constructing discourse. The paper defines global digitalization, describes the features of digitalization of the discourse space, and outlines the role of evidentiality in news discourse. The author concludes that it is important to use persuasive evidential means in electronic news media during the COVID-19 pandemic, which makes it possible to describe two types of this category, depending on the communicative intentions of the author / subject of the news passage – explicit and hidden evidentiality. Depending on the characteristics of the communicative situation, the identified indicators of persuasive evidentiality contribute to an additional substantiation of the reliability of the communicated information and make it possible to exert a directed influence on the addressee through persuasion.

The Different Types of Interaction of the Modus Category of Evidentiality with Authorization and Approximation in the Mass Media Discourse

The article deals with the specifics of interaction of evidentiality with the modus categories of authorization and approximation. The central aspect of the study is to identify the types of interaction of these categories in the mass media discourse. Evidentiality, initially considered as a grammatical category associated with the characterization of the source of information, reveals additional modus semantics within the framework of the linguosynergetic approach to the analysis of discourse. The study of the discursive space indicates that evidentiality unites three communicating subject zones the author's zone, the communication subject's zone, and the addressee's / reader's zone. Taking into account these zones in the course of updating the linguosynergetic method of discourse analysis helps to identify the specifics of polymodal evidential meanings and allows to form a synergetic evidential model, within which the features of synergetic coupling of evidentiality with authorization and approximation are considered. The author comes to the conclusion that these categories implement two possible types of interaction based on the interpenetration and complementarity of modus meanings in the discursive space of mass media. During the deployment of the evidential discourse context, the author refers to these principles to provide the necessary impact on the addressee / reader. The results of the study contribute to understanding the nature of the organization of messages of the subjects of communication and can be used to study the relationship of evidentiality with other modus categories.

A metalinguistic analysis of the terminology of evidential categories: experiential, conjecture or deduced?

Abstract While evidential categories have similar meanings and uses cross-linguistically, the names given to the categories tend to vary. This article surveys the terms for evidentials used in descriptive grammars of 51 languages that have at least three evidential categories. Comparing terms to find common terminological tendencies can provide useful insights into the descriptions of categories. There is great deal of term synonymy and term polysemy, but each evidential category has its typical terms that are semantically motivated. The term synonymy is the result of emphasizing different semantic aspects of the evidential categories, which leads to variable term choices. There is terminological overlap between categories involving sensory perception (i.e. visual, direct, and nonvisual sensory evidentials), inference, and second-hand information, which suggests that they may not always be considered sufficiently conceptually distinct to merit unique terms, especially when the terms for inferential and assumptive evidentials are frequently created from the same words. The variation of the terminology is also connected to how the understanding of evidentiality and relationship to other adjacent categories has developed.

A metalinguistic analysis of the terminology of evidential categories: experiential, conjecture or deduced?

AbstractWhile evidential categories have similar meanings and uses cross-linguistically, the names given to the categories tend to vary. This article surveys the terms for evidentials used in descriptive grammars of 51 languages that have at least three evidential categories. Comparing terms to find common terminological tendencies can provide useful insights into the descriptions of categories. There is great deal of term synonymy and term polysemy, but each evidential category has its typical terms that are semantically motivated. The term synonymy is the result of emphasizing different semantic aspects of the evidential categories, which leads to variable term choices. There is terminological overlap between categories involving sensory perception (i.e. visual, direct, and nonvisual sensory evidentials), inference, and second-hand information, which suggests that they may not always be considered sufficiently conceptually distinct to merit unique terms, especially when the terms for inferential and assumptive evidentials are frequently created from the same words. The variation of the terminology is also connected to how the understanding of evidentiality and relationship to other adjacent categories has developed.

Persuasive Potential of the Modus Category of Evidentiality in the News Media Discourse

Persuasive Potential of the Modus Category of Evidentiality in the News Media Discourse

Semantic, Aspectual Category and Evidential Category of-guo

The semantics of -guo indicates a non-empty set of a type of eventuality in a certain time frame, while the properties of term inability, discontinuity and repeatability are only pragmatic implicatures. From the viewpoint of event structure, -guo is better considered as an imperfective marker than an experiential marker which asserting the activity description and leaving the state description as a standard implicative. Forwardly, from event structure to information structure, “-guo” is developed into an indirect evidential marker. Based on social needs of reliability and extended intersubjectivity, “-guo” emphasizes the truth of events and gains the specific meaning as an interpersonal evidential.

Folklore as an evidential category

AbstractFolklore refers to information that we have learnt as a part of the history of our own people and that has passed on from generation to generation for hundreds, or even thousands of years. This paper shows that as an information source folklore has features in common with other information sources, most notably hearsay, but it nevertheless constitutes an information source of its own, characterized as [−personal] [−direct] and [+internalized]. In addition, the paper proposes a formal-functional typology based on the element used for folklore coding. It is also shown that the semantic similarity of the coded element with the proposed definition of folklore corresponds to its frequency. Finally, the paper discusses the central theoretical implications this study has for our understanding of evidentiality.

Folklore as an evidential category

AbstractFolklore refers to information that we have learnt as a part of the history of our own people and that has passed on from generation to generation for hundreds, or even thousands of years. This paper shows that as an information source folklore has features in common with other information sources, most notably hearsay, but it nevertheless constitutes an information source of its own, characterized as [−personal] [−direct] and [+internalized]. In addition, the paper proposes a formal-functional typology based on the element used for folklore coding. It is also shown that the semantic similarity of the coded element with the proposed definition of folklore corresponds to its frequency. Finally, the paper discusses the central theoretical implications this study has for our understanding of evidentiality.

Evidentiality and Modality?: Analysis of Korean -keyss

This study proposes that the Korean sentence pre-final suffix -keyss is a modal expressing deontic and epistemic meanings since it does not indicate “source of information” as a primary meaning, although it could be considered as evidential at first blush, just like the English modal must, which can express inferential meaning. To elaborate this argument, this study first examines the definition of two distinct categories of modality (e.g., deontic and epistemic) and evidentiality. Then -keyss is analyzed, focusing on its frequency and distribution of the recurrent patterns of keyss construction with authentic discourse data to propose -keyss is a Korean modal.

Epistemic Justification of Testimonial Beliefs and the Categories of Egophoricity and Evidentiality in Natural Languages: An Insoluble Paradox of Thomas Reid's Anti-Reductionism

Abstract The paper is concerned with the epistemological status of testimony and the question of what may confer justification on true testimonial beliefs and enable us to call such beliefs knowledge. In particular, it addresses certain anti-reductionist arguments in the epistemology of testimony and their incompatibility with the grammatical categories of egophoricity (conjunct/disjunct marking) and evidentiality (information source marking) present in the architecture of natural languages. First, the tradition of epistemological individualism and its rationale are discussed, as well as certain attempts within this tradition to include testimony-based beliefs in the body of legitimate and rational beliefs. The next section is concerned with the anti-reductionist approach to testimonial beliefs and some arguments supporting ‘the credulity principle’ grounded in Thomas Reid's philosophy of common sense. The last two sections show how the anti-reductionist argumentation is threatened with an insoluble dilemma when considered in the context of languages with the grammatical categories of egophoricity (conjunct/disjunct marking) and evidentiality (information source marking). Special attention is paid to the justificatory role of egophoric and evidential marking; how these grammatical categories may influence the process of belief formation, and consequently, how this bears upon the nature of justification for testimonial beliefs. The final conclusion of the paper is that the anti-reductionist claim concerning the directness and non-inferential nature of testimonial knowledge is bound to meet objections grounded in the structure of many natural languages. This leads to a paradox: in discussion with reductionism, anti-reductionists do seek support for their arguments in common sense beliefs reflected in everyday language, and, on the other hand, their claims are incompatible with the linguistic data found in a number of natural languages.

Corpus Analysis of Evidential Verbs SAGEN and BEHAUPTEN in Modern German-Language Media Discourse

The semantic and morphological features of the evidential verbs of speech sagen (speak) and behaupten (assert), introducing statements with direct, indirect and fragmentary quotes in the German-language media discourse are discussed in the article. The study is based on the material of the Mannheim Corps of the German Language “COSMAS II”. The empirical material is the newspapers “Die Welt”, “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, and “Tageszeitung”. Attention is paid to one of the components of the category of evidentiality - reported evidentiality, which includes the meanings of ‘quotative’ and ‘hearsay’. A classification of the most significant sources of information is proposed. The results of a comparative analysis of the verbs sagen and behaupten are presented. It is concluded that the verb sagen is the most frequent and neutral verb introducing someone else's speech. The authors note that when transmitting indirect and fragmented citation, sagen usually means ‘individual personal quotative’ based on official and reliable sources. It is proved that the verb behaupten is a marked means of direct, indirect and fragmented quotes. It is emphasized that the verb behaupten is possible as an introductory verb when transmitting the meanings ‘generalized quotation’ and ‘rumors’.

The Unclear Picture of Social Media Evidence

This article considers the unclear picture of social media evidence in the courtroom and offers a snapshot glimpse into the digitized world where modern trial narratives reside. This will be done by highlighting the dissonance between the social media form of evidence and our evidential rules. This disconnect between principle and evidence obscures the pristine categorization of evidential rules and principles causing us to question the position of social media in the evidential space of the courtroom. Instead of fashioning social media evidence into a manageable evidential category, we must be amenable to creating a unique approach to the introduction of social media evidence. The objective of this article is to challenge our learned knowledge of the evidential world so that we may create a new evidential language for application to social media evidence. This new approach will be truer to the purpose and objective of evidence rules and will provide much needed judicial oversight in determining its admissibility.

General knowledge as an evidential category

AbstractNumerous studies have dealt with the coding of information sources within and across languages. These studies have shown that despite the significant differences in the number of formally distinct evidentiality categories, languages tend to have grammaticalized markers for certain information sources, but not for others; different kinds of sensory perception, inference, assumption and hearsay evidence are among those information sources that receive explicit coding. In this paper, another evidence type, namely general knowledge, will be examined. It will be shown that general knowledge differs from other information sources in its nature, but it also has features in common with them. In addition, a formal-functional typology of general knowledge coding will be proposed based on the nature of the element used for this purpose. Finally, the rationale behind the discussed types and the central theoretical implications of the paper will be discussed. The attested types either stress the peculiar nature of general knowledge providing evidence for its independent information source status, or they emphasize the common features shared by general knowledge and other information sources, most notably reliability of information.

Egophoric marking and person indexation in Japhug

AbstractJaphug, like other Gyalrong languages, is one of the very few languages with both a full-fledged person indexation system and an egophoric evidential category. A detailed account of the uses and meanings of the Egophoric and its interaction with person is thus of interest to the typology of evidential systems. This paper describes the uses of Egophoric marking in Japhug and of the other two evidential categories with which it contrasts (Factual and Sensory), as well as their interaction with person indexation. Due to the limited distribution of the Egophoric in Japhug (it only occurs in present contexts), the present paper exclusively focuses on the uses of evidentials with stative verbs in present (imperfective) contexts, where minimal pairs are available in the corpus.

CATEGORY OF FUTURALITY WITHIN THE SYSTEM OF MODUS CATEGORIES

The aim of the investigation under consideration is to study the nature of the category of futurality within the system of modus categories in the French language. The object of the work is the category of futurality in contemporary French, the subject is the study of the category of futurality in contemporary French within the system of modus categories of evidentiality, modality and persuasiveness. In the course of the study, the distinctions between modality and modus have been outlined, the place of the category of futurality within the modus categories has been identified, the peculiarity of the category of futurality as a modus category has been analysed. Conclusions: the peculiarity of futurality as a modus category is that it belongs to the modus categories denoting action/event, real in the future “in the speaker’s view”. In this sense the category of futurality is closer to the categories of modality (real information stated by the speaker) and predicativity (confidence in the information stated by the speaker) in meaning, whereas differing from them by the semantics of the stated temporality denoting the relation of consequence in reference to the moment of speaking. The category of futurality is connected with other modus categories: category of assertion with semantics of neutral prospection, category of persuasiveness with the seme of assurance in reference to the future and category of modality with the seme of reality in reference to the future. The major types of modal meanings forming the modus category of futurality are: 1) speaker’s estimation of the subject matter of the utterance from the perspective of reality/irreality in the future; 2) estimation of the environment of the utterance from the perspective of probability/necessity/desirability in the future; 3) speaker’s estimation of the level of assurance (persuasiveness) of the subject matter of the utterance from the perspective of the future; 4) communicative function of the utterance defined by the purpose of the speaker from the perspective of the future (wish, intention, preference); 5) confirmation/negation of objective relations between objects, phenomena, events of the future.

Association between Interview Quality and Child Sexual Abuse Trial Outcome

Child witness interviews frequently comprise the central evidence in child sexual assault prosecutions. The aim of the present study was to explore the association between interview quality, interview inconsistencies raised during cross-examination, and trial outcome, while taking into account the strength of the prosecution case. Sixty-nine interviews of child complainants (56 female; aged 6–18 years) were coded for quality (proportion of open-ended questions, interviewer compliance with best-practice, and evidential categories sought). Corresponding trial transcripts were coded for indicators of case strength including number of victims and corroborating evidence (e.g., DNA, eyewitnesses). Cross-examination transcripts were coded for inconsistencies within the child witness interview or between this interview and another statement by the same complainant. After controlling for number of victims and corroborative evidence, interview quality was not associated with trial outcomes. The strongest predictor of verdict was the number of victims: the greater the number of victims, the more likely the defendant was to be convicted of at least one count. The number of inconsistencies was marginally associated with outcome: the greater the number of inconsistencies, the more likely the defendant was to be acquitted. The findings highlight the importance of examining the trial as a whole when investigating the relationship between the child witness interviews and the legal process. Future studies are necessary to replicate these findings, ideally with interviews ranging in quality on key indicators of best-practice interviewing.

АКСИОЛОГИЧНОСТЬ ДИСКУРСАСМИ

The axiological aspect of mass-media discourse is revealed through actualization of definite axiological meanings expressed in the process of reality conceptualization on the basis of values and social norms. Such axiological meanings are objectivized with the help of different modus categories. The conducted research demonstrates that the modus category of evidentiality conveys some axiological meanings. Implicit expression of the direct evidentiality modus in the cases of simple certainty is characterized by high frequency. In these situations, the addresser tells about something which he/she knows for certain and presents the described event as true in reality. Explicit expression of the direct evidentiality modus in the cases of simple and problematic certainty are characterized by low frequency.

Propuesta metodológica para el análisis de la evidencialidad en el discurso científico

Presentamos una propuesta de ficha metodológica para el análisis de la evidencialidad –entendida como la expresión de la fuente de información– en el discurso científico. La ficha ha sido aplicada a un estudio exploratorio de un corpus de artículos científicos (1799-1920). Combina variables formales, contextuales y semántico-pragmáticas. De esta manera, la ficha permite realizar un análisis exhaustivo de la evidencialidad, puesto que aporta información sobre qué clases de recursos se encuentran, cómo se insertan en el discurso y qué funciones realizan.

ОСОБЕННОСТИ МОРФОЛОГИЧЕСКОГО СПОСОБА ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ ГЛАГОЛОВ КОСВЕННОЙ ЗАСВИДЕТЕЛЬСТВОВАННОСТИ В ЮКАГИРСКОМ ЯЗЫКЕ

The article discovers the specificity of the morphological means to form the verbs of indirect evidentiality in Yukaghir dialects. The category of evidentiality is considered as a key notion in the Yukaghir grammar. The author identifies the formants of indirect evidentiality of transitive and intransitive verbs in Yukaghir dialects and concludes that in the Kolyma dialect transitive and intransitive verbs in all persons have one and the same formant of indirect evidentiality - = льэл =, in the tundra dialect transitive verbs in all persons have the formant = льэл =, intransitive verbs in the 3rd person singular - = льэ =, in all the other person forms - = льэл =. The paper focuses on clarifying the meanings of the verbs of indirect evidentiality in Yukaghir dialects.