fwjefodjbmpcjt!lbufhpsjb! twbovs!fobTj

I – Opposition within Scrivas
Direct Evidentiality vs. Indirect Evidentiality
244
Category of Evidentiality in Svan
Summary
Evidentiality in the Svan language is expressed by grammatical and
lexical means. Grammatically, it is conveyed by specific morphological and
syntactic means. Morphological means comprise: a) the so-called nonvisual
scrivas; b) evidential (verbal or inferential) verbal forms proper; c) Perfect
Tenses; d) morphemes, etc. Syntactical means encompass: a) complex
sentences including subordinate clauses with explanatory or precision-making
semantics; b) Reported Speech. Lexically, evidentiality in Svan is expressed
by parenthetical phrases or sentences containing key words that are
semantically linked with speaking, thinking, and perception (UB.: gärglix,
LB.: ragdix „they say“; UB.: miSgwa lanGelSw, LB.: miSgwa länCilSw „in
my view“…).
Grammatical Means of Expressing Evidentiality
Morphology
1. Verbal evidentiality is the major intrument to convey text
evidentiality. Similar to other Kartvelian languages (Georgian, Mengrelian,
Chan), Svan expresses evidentiality through perfect tenses. All the four
languages have respective verbal tense-mood forms (scrivas) to indicate the
opposition of visual action–nonvisual action, while nonperceptive (verbal
or inferential) information is rendered by verbs with the semantics of
nonvisual action.
2. Unlike Georgian, Svan and Zan possess a greater number of
scrivas that designate: a) „nonvisual“ actions; b) inferential actions.
Oppositions of evidentiality exist within, and between individual
scrivas:
1.
2.
3.
1.
Neutral (direct evidential)
Present
Preverbal Future 30 (direct
evidential, categoric)
Preverbal Perfect
Conditional (resp. Iterative)
Resultative I, non-perfect,
non-preverbal, with the
suffix -a (experiencial)
2. Resultative II, non-perfect,
non-preverbal (experiencial)
30 Preverbs Cu, Ji, sga, qa.
31 Preverbs an-, ad-, la-, es-.
Series I
vs.
Inferential (epistemic) Present
(resp. non-perfect Future)
vs. Basic preverbal Future 31
vs.
Series III
vs.
vs.
(inferential; epistemic)
Basic preverbal Perfect
Conditional (inferential;
epistemic)
a) Resultative I, non-perfect,
non-preverbal with the suffix
-en-a (experiencial, verbal or
inferential)
b) Resultative I, perfective,
preverbal (verbal or inferential)
Resultative II, perfective,
preverbal (inferential)
245