Epistemic modality, evidentiality, quotativity and echoic use

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Epistemic modality; Evidentiality; Interpretive use; Quotatives; Echoic expressions.

ENThe purpose of the article is to shed light on the mutual relationships between three distinct but related domains of linguistic marking. Whereas the first two, epistemic modality and evidentiality, are now firmly established in the linguistic literature, the third, interpretive use, originally formulated in the framework of linguistic pragmatics (Sperber & Wilson 1986), is still waiting for recognition as a sui generis type of linguistic marking. Interpretive use of utterances is defined by Sperber and Wilson as the use of utterances to refer to other utterances rather than to states of affairs. They distinguish two subtypes: quotations and echoic interpretations. A discussion of echoic use in grammar can be found in Holvoet & Konickaja (2011). Lexical interpretive use markers can be divided into quotative and echoic use markers; the differences are discussed in the article. Instances of polyfunctionality covering the different domains of marking mentioned here invite us to pause at the mutual relationships between them, and at the possible ways of diachronic development. [eLABa]