scholarly journals Linguistic Means of Expressing Objective Epistemic Modality in Scientific Discourse

2020 ◽  
pp. 151-163
Author(s):  
A. V. Sakharova
Keyword(s):  
Propositional Attitudes ◽  
Scientific Discourse ◽  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Epistemic Modal ◽  
A Value ◽  
Modal Component ◽  
Scientific Significance ◽  
Language Modality ◽  
Linguistic Means

The predicates typical of scientific discourse shown, proved, established , etc., which are used to present the results of the study are discussed in the article. The relevance of the study is due to the scientific significance of addressing the problem of discursive research of epistemic indicators of reliability in the context of the principles of the language postclassical logical analysis. The purpose of the study is to justify the “modality” of these constructions and describe the epistemic modal meaning that they bring to the proposition, as specific propositional attitudes. The methodology used in the article is based on some basic principles of modal (in particular, epistemic) logic and linguistic semantics of J. Lyons and E. V. Paducheva. The novelty of the study is in the fact that the pragmatic functions of the considered predicates are described. It is shown that, in addition to a simple statement, their value contains an epistemic modal component, which is based on the value of “provability” described by modal logic. It is established that this modal meaning correlates with the category of objective language modality. Particular attention is paid to logical and linguistic grounds on which these predicates are classified as modal. The question is raised about the functioning of these predicates in contexts complicated by indicators of subjective epistemic modality with a value of problematic certainty. It is concluded that the predicates shown, proved, established, and similar ones indicate the “objective” (verifiable) nature of the information presented and the author’s conviction of the reliability of the described data, and constructions with the indicated predicates also perform a rhetorical function and enhance the “persuasiveness” of the text.

scholarly journals EPISTEMIC MODALITY IN TED TALKS ON EDUCATION

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ton Nu My Nhat ◽  
Nguyen Thi Dieu Minh
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Method ◽  
Middle Level ◽  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
Epistemic Modal ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
Modal Auxiliaries ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Personal Attitudes ◽  
Ted Talks ◽  
Linguistic Means

This paper aims to investigate the epistemic markers in TED talks. The data for the study is 100 TED talks on education. The mixed method of both the quantitative and qualitative approaches was manipulated to capture the use of the linguistic means to convey epistemic modality in terms of degrees of certainty and range of devices. The findings indicate that epistemic modality is pervasive in this genre, with approximately one-tenth of the sentences in the data being epistemically modalized by TED speakers via a range of linguistic means of different types and epistemic strength. The analysis unveils a clear tendency to select the middle level of commitment and make use of epistemic modal auxiliaries to frame their statements with personal attitudes and opinions. The examination of epistemic devices in the data also suggests speakers’ preference to use epistemic adverbials to realize certainty and employ epistemic modals to denote probability and possibility. The study yields pedagogical implications for developing an efficient use of epistemic modality in oral presentation of academic discourse.

scholarly journals Evidentiality In Romance Languages. Explanatory Potential of a Concept and Its Applications In Pragmatics

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. e337
Author(s):  
Gerda Hassler
Keyword(s):  
Epistemic Justification ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
Romance Languages ◽  
Superordinate Category ◽  
European Languages ◽  
Sources Of Knowledge ◽  
Factual Claim ◽  
Source Of Information ◽  
Linguistic Means

Defined narrowly, evidentiality pertains to the sources of knowledge or evidence whereby the speaker feels entitled to make a factual claim. But evidentiality may also be conceived more broadly as both providing epistemic justification and reflecting speaker’s attitude towards the validity of the communicated information, and hearer’s potential acceptability of the information, derived from the degree of reliability of the source and mode of access to the information. Evidentiality and epistemic modality are subcategories of the same superordinate category, namely a category of epistemicity. Since the first seminal works on evidentiality (Chafe and Nichols 1986), studies have for the most part centred on languages where the grammatical marking of the information source is obligatory (for example Willett 1988; Aikhenvald 2004). Recent years have witnessed a growing interest in the study of the domain of evidentiality in European languages, which rely on strategies along the lexico‐grammatical continuum. Assuming a broad conception of evidentiality and defining it as a functional category, we study linguistic means that fulfil the function of indicating the source of information for the transmitted content of a certain proposition in Romance languages.

The meaning of the Bulgarian evidential and why it cannot express inferences about the future

2015 ◽  
pp. 275
Author(s):  
Anastasia Smirnova
Keyword(s):  
False Beliefs ◽  
Epistemic Modal ◽  
The Future ◽  
Modal Component

The paper presents a uniform analysis of the Bulgarian evidential in reportative and inferential contexts. The Bulgarian evidential is analyzed as having both a temporal and an epistemic modal component. The analysis allows to explain why the evidential can be used to report false beliefs in reportative contexts but not in inferential ones, as well as why the Bulgarian evidential cannot express inferences about the future. Both cases are problematic for the previous analyses of evidentiality in Bulgarian (Izvorski 1997, Koev 2011).

Children's epistemic inferences through modal verbs and prosody

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 1132-1169
Author(s):  
Meghan ARMSTRONG
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Choice Task ◽  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
Metalinguistic Awareness ◽  
Modal Verbs ◽  
Epistemic Modal ◽  
Negative Valence ◽  
Forced Choice Task ◽  
Positive And Negative Valence

AbstractThis study explores how young children infer nuances in epistemic modality through prosody. A forced-choice task was used, testing children's (ages three to seven) comprehension of the might/will distinction (modal condition) as well their ability to modulate the strength of might through two prosodic tunes (prosody condition). Positive and negative valence conditions were included. Younger children were shown to start off performing above chance for the modal condition, and at around chance for the prosody condition, but after age four performance on the prosody condition quickly improved. For both modal verbs and prosody, children performed significantly better when valence was positive. By age seven, children performed at ceiling for all conditions. Qualitative analysis of children's justifications for prosody responses showed metalinguistic awareness of prosodic meaning as early as age four, with the ability to relate prosody to epistemic modal meaning becoming quite common by age seven.

From inquisitive disjunction to nonveridical equilibrium: Modalized questions in Korean

Linguistics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 207-244
Author(s):  
Arum Kang ◽  
Suwon Yoon
Keyword(s):  
Epistemic Uncertainty ◽  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
Modal Operator ◽  
Current Analysis ◽  
Epistemic Modal ◽  
Second Languages ◽  
Novel Device ◽  
Modal Base ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractThe goal of the present study is to identify a novel paradigm of epistemic modal operator derived from disjunction. Our main data involves an inquisitive disjunction marker nka in Korean, the presence of which enhances a speaker’s epistemic uncertainty and forms a modalized question. We show how nka contributes the modal effects in question within a theory of nonveridicality. In particular, we propose that the prerequisite of nka are non-homogenous nonveridical states that are partitioned in equipoised epistemic spaces because of the absence in ranking between them. The distinct notions of disjunction, question, and possibility modals can thus be systematically captured under the framework of nonveridical equilibrium. The current analysis offers important insights into the relationship between the classes of nonveridical and modal ingredients involved in inquisitive disjunction: First, Korean facts importantly reveal that modalized questions do not form a uniform class with regular questions, since interrogative semantics alone cannot predict the epistemic uncertainty. Second, languages parameterize as to how they lexicalize the function of manipulating modal base. The implication of our findings is that disjunction needs to be recognized as a novel device for encoding a speaker’s weakest perspective on epistemic modality.

scholarly journals A critical analysis and optimization of the testing & validation activities inside an automotive partsfactory

2021 ◽  
Vol 343 ◽  
pp. 02011
Author(s):  
Lucian-Petru Păvăloi ◽  
Florin Negoescu
Keyword(s):  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Value Stream Mapping ◽  
Lean Management ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Value Stream ◽  
A Value ◽  
The Status

The scope of this paper is to critically analyze and optimize the solutions available from a Lean Management point of view, for the testing & validation department of an automotive factory. The paper will start with an analysis of the basic principles of Lean Management and how this can be applied successfully, followed by a Value Stream Mapping critical analysis of the status at a given time and the action taken with the scope of optimizing the process, concluding with an updated analysis of the new Value Steam Map, showcasing the advantages and the improvements achieved.

scholarly journals Means of Expression of Epistemic Modality in Russian Political Discourse

2019 ◽  
pp. 19-31
Author(s):  
Živilė Nemickienė
Keyword(s):  
Political Discourse ◽  
Russian Language ◽  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
Shared Knowledge ◽  
Political Leaders ◽  
Epistemic Modal ◽  
Modal Particles ◽  
Modal Auxiliaries ◽  
The Russian Language ◽  
Modal Adverbs

This paper discusses the means of epistemic modality used in Russian political discourse. Russian political leaders most often use epistemic modal adverbs and mental state predicates in their speeches for hedging purposes. Modal particles and modal expressions are employed more often than predicatively used adjectives, modal auxiliaries are never used due to the peculiarities of the Russian language. Most commonly used words expressing epistemic modality in Russian belong to the group of modal adverbs. Due to the structure of Russian, groups of particles and modal expressions conveying epistemic modality are analysed. The study reveals that Russian politicians use words with epistemic meanings mainly to convince the listener that the information is reliable, and rarely to mitigate the content of the proposition or to reduce the author’s responsibility for what is being claimed. The cognitive processes help to recognize the ideas encoded in epistemic utterances. Those processes are based on the shared knowledge and understanding of the context.

Markers of epistemic modality and their origins

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-44
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Engberg-Pedersen
Keyword(s):  
Sign Language ◽  
Mental State ◽  
Epistemic Uncertainty ◽  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
Visual Modality ◽  
Sign Languages ◽  
Epistemic Modal ◽  
Modal Particles ◽  
Word Forms ◽  
Japanese Sign Language

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.

scholarly journals Episteemilistest modaalpartiklitest eesti kirjakeeles

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 205-222
Author(s):  
Annika Valdmets ◽  
Külli Habicht
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Epistemic Modality ◽  
Literary Language ◽  
Epistemic Modal ◽  
Modal Particles

Artikli eesmärgiks on kirjeldada mõningate episteemiliste, tõeväärtushinnangut kandvate modaalpartiklite kujunemist ja kasutamist eesti (kirja)keeles. Täpsema vaatluse all on sõnad nagu kahtlemata, loomulikult, põhimõtteliselt ja tegelikult, mis on peamiselt viimase sajandi vältel arenenud täistähenduslikest viisiadverbidest modaalpartikliteks. Selle protsessi käigus on teisenenud nende semantilised, morfosüntaktilised ja pragmaatilised omadused. Käsitletavad üksused on tänapäeva eesti keeles polüseemsed: olenevalt kontekstist saab neid kasutada nii täistähenduslike viisiadverbide kui ka mittetäistähenduslike episteemiliste partiklitena. Episteemiliste modaalpartiklite kirjeldamisel on kaasatud ka subjektiivsuse ja intersubjektiivsuse mõisted. Artiklit illustreerivad näited Tartu Ülikooli kirjakeele korpustest ja vanadest eesti keele grammatikatest.About epistemic modal particles in Estonian. The purpose of this article is to give an overview of the development and use of some of the epistemic modal particles in written Estonian. More specifically, this paper detangles the topic with the examples of the words like kahtlemata ’undoubtedly’, loomulikult ’of course’, põhimõtteliselt ’in principle’ and tegelikult ’actually’, which are particles that have evolved from (manner) adverbs and, as polysemous items, are being used in both functions nowadays. During this evolution, the words’ semantic, morphosyntactic and pragmatic properties have changed. The data for this study mainly come from the Corpus of Estonian Literary Language, the Balanced Corpus of Estonian, and old Estonian grammars. The theoretical background is based on grammaticalization approach. More specifically, the topics of subjectivity and intersubjectivity are examined in greater detail. The most important function of the particles studied here is indeed appearing on the pragmatic level because these items add epistemic modality to the clause which can only originate from the speaker/writer (subjectivity) or which can cover also the addressee (intersubjectivity).

scholarly journals HIGHER EDUCATION, QUALITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION, EXPERT SUPPORT AND ITS ASSURANCE: THE CANONIZATION OF CONCEPTS (THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL DISCOURSE)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Batechko
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Scientific Discourse ◽  
Education Sector ◽  
Education Quality ◽  
Quality Of Education ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Quality Of Higher Education ◽  
Higher Education Quality ◽  
Expert Support

The article highlights the peculiarities of the justification of the concept of “quality of education” in modern scientific discourse. At the same time, the investigated phenomenon is presented in the interpretation of the systemic and synergistic approaches. It is noted that the synergy of systematic and synergistic approaches can serve as a theoretical and methodological justification for the quality of education. In the context of systemic and synergetic approaches, modern realities of introducing the basic principles of the quality of education and its expert support in the national higher school are analysed. It has been proved that taking into account the best European principles for ensuring the quality of education and own vision of the solution of the problem will allow accelerating the processes of reforming the education sector in Ukraine.

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