A study on the non-epistemic modal meaning of ‘-l pephata’ and ‘-l manhata’

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to identify semantic characteristics of non-epistemic modality realized by ‘-l pephata’ and ‘-l manhata’. Modality can be divided into epistemic modality and root modality, which is non-epistemic modality. Epistemic modality expresses a speaker's judgment on the degree of factuality of the proposition, and root modality expresses the speaker's judgment on the likelihood of the state-of-affair. Some previous studies have seen that ‘-l pephata’ and ‘-l manhata’ express the judgment that it is possible for a situation to occur, which can be seen as pointing out that ‘-l pephata’ and ‘-l manhata’ represent the root modality. Root possibility meaning of ‘-l pephata’ and ‘-l manhata’ is analyzed by three criteria: ‘scope of the modal meaning’, ‘source of possibility’, and ‘potential barrier’. Root possibility expressed by ‘-l pephata’ corresponds to the [general situation possibility], which is wide-scope, has an external source, and has no potential barrier. In addition to the [general situation possibility], ‘-l manhata’ can express [Ability] which is narrow-scope, has an internal source. ‘-l pephata’ and ‘-l manhata’ which express [general situation possibility] differs in that ‘-l pephata’ expresses a judgement based on assimilated knowledge, whereas ‘-l manhata’ expresses a judgement based on unassimilated knowledge.