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Modes of Modality: Modality, typology, and universal grammar
Edited by Elisabeth Leiss and Werner Abraham
[Studies in Language Companion Series 149] 2014
► pp. 379–406

From agent-oriented modality to sequential

The polysemy of the marker ni in Kakabe (Mande)

ORCID logo | LLACAN (INALCO, CNRS, PRES Sorbonne Paris Cité)

The paper provides an analysis of an unusual type of polysemy of a modal marker which so far has not been in the focus of the studies dealing with semantics and grammaticalization paths of modal meaning, namely the polysemy between the modal meaning of obligation and the sequential meaning. Modal meaning and the dependent status of a clause may be related because they are both characterized by the lack of assertiveness. This hypothesis is explored in the diachronic perspective on the example of Kakabe data.

Published online: 24 January 2014
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https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.149.13vyd
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