semantics and pragmatics of evidentials in cuzco quechua

52 CHAPTER 2. EVIDENTIAL HIERARCHIES
information). The Quechua Direct -mi can be used for this type of information just
in case the speaker has learned it from a source of authority—which includes information
one “absorbs” as part of one’s culture. Consider the examples in (36) which
all allow the use of the Direct enclitic -mi.
(36) a. Schroder-mi Alemania-q umalliq-ni-n ka-sha-n.
Schröder-mi Germany-gen head-euph-3 be-prog-3
‘Schroeder is the current chancellor (lit. head) of Germany.’
ev= speaker learned that p from an authority
b. Africa-pi-mi elefante-kuna-qa ka-n.
Africa-loc-mi elephant-pl-top be-3
p=‘In Africa, there are elephants.’
ev= speaker learned that p from an authority
c. Toledo-n Peru-pa umalliq-ni-n ka-sha-n kunan.
Toledo-mi Peru-gen head-euph-3 be-prog-3
p=‘Toledo is the current president of Peru.’
ev= speakerknowsthatpfrom being immersed in Peruvian society and
culture
d. Yunka-pi-n k’usillu-kuna-qa ka-n.
Rainforest-loc-mi monkey-pl-top be-3
p=‘In the rainforest, there are monkeys.’
ev= speakerknowsthatpfrom being immersed in Peruvian society and
culture
For example, (36a,b) convey information that a Quechua speaker might have learned
in school or from the media. Examples (36c,d) convey information that any Peruvian
will know, even if they have not seen Toledo being elected or acting as president, or
been to the jungle themselves.
Given that -mi can be used for this type of information, and not only -si —as one
might perhaps expect—we might want to consider learning to be an evidential type.
Information acquired by learning is little discussed in the literature on evidentiality.
The most explicit reference is still Givón (1982:42), who discusses “apriori-synthetic
knowledge, the huge body of generic knowledge shared within the culture, most commonly
coded in language in the knowledge of the dictionary. Such knowledge is seldom