29.06.2013 Views

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE ...

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE ...

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

spots on your fingernails’, giga-zipogwayawe ‘you will have a crater in the back of your<br />

neck’.<br />

As part of its veridical function, the epistemic use of mii can be seen in related<br />

functions as well. These include the use of mii within emotionally charged statements, or<br />

in ribbing (i.e. teasing). This is illustrated below with examples that I heard from my<br />

consultants.<br />

(67) a) Emotionally charged statements (Mille Lacs Sessions)<br />

Mii-go bijiinag gii-pi-naanind.<br />

VER-EMPH just now came and got her<br />

‘They finally came and got her!’ (after several days)<br />

b) Ribbing<br />

Mii na gii-tagoshinowaad bineshiinsag?<br />

VER INTER they arrived little birds<br />

‘Did little birds come?’<br />

The statement in (67a) was made by one of my consultants when it was learned that a<br />

murdered tribal member was finally found after having been left dead in her backyard for<br />

several days. In representing the proposition they finally came and got her, again,<br />

speakers have two morphological choices, the use of a mii-clause, or independent<br />

morphology, e.g. gii-pi-naanaa ‘they came and got her’. When later queried about the<br />

use of mii in this statement, my consultant stated that the mii-clause captures the<br />

seriousness of the situation, where it otherwise would not were mii not used. The<br />

125

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!