Epistemic Modality Markers Research Articles

Epistemic modality and evidentiality in virtual intercultural exchanges between Turkish and Texan users of English

AbstractThis study reports on data from two 6‐week virtual intercultural exchanges (VIEs) between teachers of multilingual learners in K‐12 schools in Türkiye and the United States. Using the data from these asynchronous VIEs, we focus on Turkish world Englishes speakers’ use of epistemic markers and evidentials. We examine how participants from Türkiye use markers of epistemic modality and evidentiality in intercultural encounters and how that use influences their construction of cultural information about Türkiye. Our findings show participants selectively code epistemic modality and evidentiality to indicate (their proximity to) the source of cultural information, avoid potential misunderstanding, and claim responsibility for the factuality of the information shared (or not). Our study contributes to understanding how world Englishes and Intercultural Communication intersect in multilingual contact zones that transcend borders―both real and imagined―between cultures, languages, and nations.

Epistemic modality in American presidential discourse

This research examines the exploitation of epistemic modality markers in political discourse. This research inspects modal auxiliaries and semi-modals use in four speeches addressed by Obama at the annual United Nations General Assembly during his second period as a President of America. Applying both qualitative and quantitative methods, this research is in an attempt to accomplish the whole investigation dealing with explorative and quantification of epistemic modality in Obama’s political discourse. The data were taken from Obama’s speeches from 2013 to 2016 at the United Nations General Assembly. The findings demonstrate that 471 modality markers were found in Obama’s speeches and he frequently delivered epistemic probability with 189 cases or 40.2% modal auxiliaries and semi-modals. Epistemic certainty and possibility were found in 125 cases or 26.6% and in 157 cases or 33.2%. The highest degree of epistemic modality, epistemic certainty, is expressed by employing must, have to, need to, cannot, could not, and may not. Modal should, will, would, be going to, and ought to express epistemic probability and modal can, could, may, might, and be able to are exploited to express the lowest degree of epistemic modality, epistemic possibility. The higher epistemic modality markers involved in a proposition indicate the higher confidence of evaluation and judgment asserted based on the speaker’s knowledge, belief, and evidence. In contrast, the lower epistemic modality markers found indicate lower confidence in the evaluation and judgment of the proposition.

Epistemic Modality in the Inaugural Speeches of Philippine Presidents

This qualitative corpus-based study employing epistemic analysis uncovered the epistemic modality (EM) markers used and their communicative functions in the seven inaugural speeches of the seven Philippine 5th Republic presidents. The findings revealed the preponderant use of epistemic modal verbs with 152 occurrences (81.72%), followed by epistemic lexical verbs with 20 occurrences (10.75%), epistemic modal adverbs with 9 occurrences (4.84%), and epistemic modal adjectives with 5 occurrences (2.69%). Moreover, the top-five modal verbs operated in the presidential inaugurals are will with 97 instances (66.9%), can with 28 instances (19.31%), shall with 9 instances (6.21%), would with 6 instances (4.14%), and could with 5 instances (3.44%). Meanwhile, should and might were never used by any president. In this regard, the presidents are confident, committed, bold, and certain with their statements; some are tentative and quite confident but still communicatively sensitive and polite; and few are uncertain but still diplomatic. Further, the communicative functions of the EM markers were categorized to high-intermediate-low modality values, certain-probable-possible semantic meanings, and close-near-distant epistemic distances.

Epistemic Modality in the Inaugural Speeches of Philippine Presidents

This qualitative corpus-based study employing epistemic analysis uncovered the epistemic modality (EM) markers used and their communicative functions in the seven inaugural speeches of the seven Philippine 5th Republic presidents. The findings revealed the preponderant use of epistemic modal verbs with 152 occurrences (81.72%), followed by epistemic lexical verbs with 20 occurrences (10.75%), epistemic modal adverbs with 9 occurrences (4.84%), and epistemic modal adjectives with 5 occurrences (2.69%). Moreover, the top-five modal verbs operated in the presidential inaugurals are will with 97 instances (66.9%), can with 28 instances (19.31%), shall with 9 instances (6.21%), would with 6 instances (4.14%), and could with 5 instances (3.44%). Meanwhile, should and might were never used by any president. In this regard, the presidents are confident, committed, bold, and certain with their statements; some are tentative and quite confident but still communicatively sensitive and polite; and few are uncertain but still diplomatic. Further, the communicative functions of the EM markers were categorized to high-intermediate-low modality values, certain-probable-possible semantic meanings, and close-near-distant epistemic distances.

O claro é certo? Os marcadores discursivos claro (PT) e certo (ITA): estudo contrastivo

"O claro é certo? Discourse markers claro (PT) and certo (ITA): a contrastive study. The present study aims to compare the dialogical uses of two discourse markers (DM), namely the European Portuguese claro and the Italian certo, by analysing the data extracted from two corpora of spoken language (the Corpus de Referência do Português Contemporâneo and the KIParla corpus). Both claro and certo are part of the group of conversational markers of epistemic modality, which includes a vast set of linguistic expressions revolving around the semantics of ""right"", ""clear"", and ""obvious"". This study shows that in European Portuguese, claro is the most frequent and polysemic DM (the “pivot form”), playing different functions in the construction of interpersonal cooperation and negotiation of meaning: in dialogical contexts, claro can mark cooperative attention, emphatic response, or agreement. To mark such functions, claro can occur within different syntactic and functional patterns, such as repetitions and co-occurrence with other DMs. In the comparison with Italian, data show that certo functions similarly in a great extent of communicative situations, thus concluding that semantic and functional parallelism can be drawn between the two DMs. However, a noteworthy difference in use relies on the speakers’ choice of DM during their communicative exchanges: in European Portuguese, speakers seem to utter different epistemic DMs in a sequence of dialogical turns to signal the same functions, while it does not appear as natural in Italian. On the contrary, Italian speakers appear to use one epistemic DM at a time. This difference, although subtle, may constitute a critical area for translation. Keywords: discourse markers, epistemic discourse markers, dialogue, certo, claro."

Certainty and Uncertainty in the Abstract Section of Mechanical Engineering Research Articles

The study of epistemic modality in research articles (RAs) has been found in many papers. However, the investigation of epistemic modality in the abstract section of RAs viewed from Systemic Functional Linguistics is rarely conducted, especially in mechanical engineering RAs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the roles of epistemic modality in the abstract section of mechanical engineering RAs. A number of 50 abstracts were collected from Scopus Q-1 journal of mechanical engineering entitled “International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture” in the period of 2016-2020. The data were analyzed using the Systemic Functional Linguistics framework focusing on epistemic modality markers in terms of orientation and values. The results reveal that the writers of mechanical engineering RAs tend to use epistemic modality markers as objective implicit and explicit orientation only since there is no subjective implicit or explicit orientation found in the data. Furthermore, the findings also show that the writers apply epistemic modality markers mostly with low values instead of median or high values. These results may be used to improve the academic writing ability of mechanical engineering writers, especially in writing abstract sections.

Markers of epistemic and evidential modality In the educated speech of Caracas

Markers of epistemic and evidential modality In the educated speech of Caracas

Реактивные реплики с иллокуцией несогласия в контексте неформального интервью: форма выражения, прагматические функции, мотивы реализации

Within the framework of this study – based on the texts of informal interviews published in English-language tabloids – the illocution of reactive disagreement is defined as an effective pragmatic mechanism for the coherent unfolding of the text, jointly generated by the interlocutors. Based on the method of conversational analysis, the constructive potential of a negative response to the propositional content and assessments that form a stimulating assertive message of the interviewer is revealed. Attention is focused on the form and content of the responses, explicitly/implicitly expressing disagreement, their pragmatic functions and role in ensuring the coherence of dialogical unity, reflecting the discussion of a specific topic by the interlocutors. It is established that in order to minimize discursive confrontation, the respondent can react with disagreement, which has a delayed character, with a preliminary expression of concession in favor of the effectiveness of the interviewer’s point of view. At the same time, in order to create relevant conditions for the implementation of a relaxed / partial disagreement, the respondent can initiate several dialogical moves. As a result, the stimulating judgments of the interviewer are interpreted as one of the alternative versions of the interpretation of the event or fact being discussed, and an informal conversation produces a pragmatic effect of intrigue. A softened form of disagreement can also be implemented by reacting replicas with blurred semantics due to hedging and markers of epistemic modality, a detailed explanation of the facts associated with the topic under discussion, activation of the shift of the current attention of the interviewer and the target audience. The motives underlying the reactive implementation of direct/implicit disagreement are revealed: the respondent’s desire to hide information about the prospects of his creative activity, which is requested by the interviewer, to avoid disharmony in interpersonal interaction, the gap between the interlocutors’ background knowledge, the dissimilarity of their axiological positions regarding the topic of discussion. A pragmatic justification of these motives is given. It is concluded that the reactive remarks of disagreement, implemented in the context of an informal interview, predetermine the conflict-free unfolding of interpersonal interaction of interlocutors due to the deliberate minimization of the threat to their social face from the respondent.

The influence of first and second language on the acquisition of pragmatic markers in Spanish

This paper reports on an experimental study of the use of two Spanish markers of epistemic modality and evidentiality, creo que ‘I believe that’ and pienso que ‘I think that’, by native speakers, and by Dutch and German learners of Spanish. We found a clear preference for creo que among the native speakers of Spanish, but with differences between the main varieties of the language. For Dutch and German learners the preference for creo que was significantly weaker, and for beginning learners of Spanish it was significantly weaker than for advanced learners. While for the Dutch learners of Spanish this pattern reflects the preference for I think over I believe in their L1, the preference that the German-speaking learners have for creo que can be seen as evidence for a general tendency noticed in the literature, namely the interference of an L2 (in this case English) instead of the L1 (in this case German) in L3 performance (in this case Spanish).

The Construction of Knowledge Claims in Three Disciplines: An Exploration of Hedging and Boosting Strategies in Research Articles Written in English by Arab and Anglophone Writers

Background. Academic writers utilize a variety of rhetorical methods to construct their knowledge claims through hedges and boosters. These two strategies may also be affected by disciplinary, cultural, or generic contexts. 
 Purpose. This mixed-methods contrastive research study explored how disciplinary and cultural contexts may affect the way Arab and Anglophone writers construct and modulate knowledge claims through hedges and boosters in the results and discussion sections of 90 English research articles in three disciplines: Journalism, Law, and Political Science.
 Methods. Instances of hedges and boosters and their pragmatic functions in context were identified, employing Liu and Tseng’s (2021) framework. This framework provides a detailed functional interpretation of the use and variation of these devices along four continuums: authorial voice, reasoning, consensus-building, and information evaluation.
 Results. The results showed interesting contrasts and similarities between both groups regarding the approaches they used to define their levels of commitment and detachment in their knowledge claims. The quantitative findings revealed significant differences in hedges but non-significant differences in boosters used by both groups. The qualitative analysis revealed that hedging and boosting functions in Arab and Anglophone writers’ RAs differed along the four continuums. Anglophone writers often used hedges in their writing to show humility, negotiate knowledge claims, and accommodate vagueness. These acts enabled them to sketch the realities emerging from their research. By contrast, the English-speaking Arab writers used fewer hedging strategies and demonstrated assertiveness, and assumed shared knowledge to enhance the realities constructed in their knowledge claims.
 Implications. These findings can benefit ESP/EAP teachers, especially those teaching writing for publication purposes to raise postgraduate students’ awareness of epistemic modality markers. A custom-made ESP/EAP course tailored to the needs of learners based on Liu and Tseng’s (2021) hedging-boosting framework can be devised to develop communicative and academic strategies in English.

EPISTEMIC MODALITY MARKERS AT THE SYNTACTIC LEVEL: THE MODAL PHRASE I THINK

The article “Epistemic modality markers at the syntactic level: the modal phrase I think” deals with the expression of the epistemic modality at the syntactic level. An análisis of the functioning of the modal phrase I think it is obvious that the expression of epistemic modality is versatile and has numerous shades and nuances.

Reconsidering the shi…(de) construction in spoken Mandarin

Abstract This paper revisits the use of the shi…de construction, based on the analysis of structures with predicative adjectives in a 500,000-character corpus of spoken Mandarin assembled from transcripts of a popular Chinese chat show. Overall, de was omitted more than 40% of the time with a predicative adjective, a significantly higher rate than that found in previous studies. The data reveal a number of factors that may all play a role in determining the likelihood of de omission or retention: the time dependency of the adjective, the particular intensifier chosen to modify the adjective, the discourse function of the utterance and the presence of certain markers of epistemic modality. The findings also lend support to the hypothesis that shi is grammaticalizing to a bound morpheme in some so-called ‘conventionalised forms’ involving epistemic and evidentiality markers.

Markers of epistemic modality and their origins

Abstract Native deaf signers express epistemic modality by different means: mental-state words, clause-internal particles, signs indicating hypothesis, and nonmanually. The data for this study come from two unrelated sign languages, Danish Sign Language and Japanese Sign Language. In dialogues the signers use both calques of majority-language words and signs that appear to have emerged in the sign languages only. Based on the multifunctionality of some word forms, the origin of the epistemic modal particles may be traced back to tags, interjections, and lexical signs, a route motivated by interaction and also found in unrelated spoken languages. Furthermore, in both sign languages, the first-person pronoun can be used, without a verb, as an epistemic “anchor” of a proposition, a construction that seems specific to languages in the gestural-visual modality. Another modality-specific feature is the possibility of transferring the expression of a marker of epistemic uncertainty from one articulator to another.

Hedging as an Indicator of Disciplinary Variation in Pakistani Academic Discourse: A Corpus Based Study

Hedging is a pragmatic phenomenon which is practiced to signal interpersonal communication. In academic discourse, hedges are used to signal writers’ presence in a text. This article explores the use of hedges particularly with reference to epistemic and deontic modality markers—important and frequently used types of hedges-- in Pakistani research dissertations belonging to three major disciplines: Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities. The material is based on a special purpose corpus of Pakistani academic writing developed with 235 M.phil and PhD research theses. To find out the frequencies of modal verbs AntConc 3.5.6 was used. All the frequencies were listed and every 50th example was analysed using the theoretical distinction between epistemic and deontic modality outlined by Biber et al. (1999). Statistical analysis of the data reveals, that disciplinary affiliation has a considerable influence on the proportion of epistemic and deontic modality

Gender and Age Aspects within the Pragmatic Potential of the Epistemic Modality Markers

It is well known that the representatives of a certain gender and age groups are distinguished by various perceptions of the world, evaluation of the objective reality events as well as by operating facts as reliable. The purpose of the research is to reveal the speaker’s gender and age characteristics affecting the confidence level in reliability of facts provided and as such the epistemic modal markers (modal words and modal verbs) chosen by him or her. To achieve the objective of the research there were used some linguistic methods such as a communicative-pragmatic and the descriptive ones. The illustrative basis consists of the situations expressing the meanings of epistemic possibility and epistemic necessity. Two types of literary characters from two fiction resources (J. Banville «The Sea» and M. Zusak «The Book Thief») were chosen to analyse: a middle-aged man and a teenage girl. The research identifies that the man mostly deals with markers of epistemic possibility if his statement is based on retrospection, intuition, or faith / conjecture (unlike a girl), an assumption (similar to a girl). In case of having a convincing evidence base, the man uses epistemic necessity markers. The girl demonstrates the usage of modal markers of epistemic necessity if her statements are based on faith, desire to benefit or “female logic”. The desire to attract attention of the opposite sex interlocutor is marked by the usage of modal markers of epistemic possibility. It is also worth noting that strong emotions, which are common to a teenage girl rather than a mature man, can distort the reliability of the statements. The content of the article is of practical value for the further epistemic modality researches in the field of linguistic pragmatics and sociolinguistics.

Epistemic modal markers in two domains of academic research papers in English

Epistemic modal markers in two domains of academic research papers in English

Adverbial Markers of Epistemic Modality Across Disciplinary Discourses: A Contrastive Study of Research Articles in Six Academic Disciplines

AbstractEpistemic adverbs, like other markers of epistemic modality, are concerned with the speaker’s assessment of the truth value of the proposition. In other words, they indicate that the speaker considers certain situations as possible, impossible, probable, certain, or uncertain. At the same time, they signal the author’s presence in the text, and invite the reader to make his/her own conclusions and interpretations. The use of modal markers has been demonstrated to differ across academic disciplines, but the specific differences concerning the use of epistemic adverbs have not been studied systematically. This paper investigates the use of epistemic adverbs in research articles representing six disciplines belonging to three different branches of science: the humanities (linguistics and literary studies), the social sciences (law and sociology), and the natural sciences (physics and medicine), with the aim of establishing discipline-specific tendencies in their use. The study is based on a corpus of 160 research articles compiled by the author. It begins with an attempt at delimiting the category of epistemic adverbs in English. After that, a list of the most frequent epistemic adverbs in the subcorpora of all the disciplines is established and discussed. The study demonstrates that frequent use of epistemic adverbs is largely a property of research articles in the humanities and social sciences. Medical and physics research articles use them significantly less often. The most frequent epistemic adverbs in the research articles under analysis include indeed, perhaps, clearly, certainly, of course, arguably, possibly, and reportedly. Some adverbs appear to be associated with specific disciplines, e.g., clearly (physics, linguistics, sociology, medicine), indeed (linguistics, literary studies, sociology), possibly, reportedly (medicine), arguably (law). The association of individual adverbs with specific disciplines may serve as an important clue to the understanding of their functions, in particular in the case of the less frequent ones, such as arguably and reportedly, which remain significantly understudied. The findings may also prove useful in teaching English for academic purposes.

Epistemic Modality Markers Used as Hedges in Research Articles

Epistemic Modality Markers Used as Hedges in Research Articles

A Study on use of Epistemic Modality Markers

A Study on use of Epistemic Modality Markers

(Inter)subjectivity in interaction: Investigating (inter)subjective meanings in Yurakaré conversational data

Abstract This paper investigates the interactional uses of the two Yurakaré (isolate, central Bolivia) epistemic modal markers and =ya ‘intersubjective’ and =laba ‘subjective’. While subjective =laba indicates a personal epistemic judgment of the speaker, intersubjective =ya conveys that the speaker expects the addressee to share the expressed epistemic judgment. The distributions of the two markers in interaction are argued to reflect their (inter)subjective meaning components. This demonstrates that conversational data provide important clues for investigating (inter)subjective meanings in language.