Knowledge base · Part XIV — Tense, Aspect, Mood, and Modality · this topic as a network
119. Epistemic Modality, Dubitative, Intentive, and Irrealis
How does Hokkaido Ainu express epistemic probability, dubitative, intentive, and irrealis modalities?
The auxiliary anan expresses confirmation of a past state or event ('was indeed / had been'). (Satō 2008: 330, 366) The light noun pe/p expresses assertive modality or pragmatic imperative. (Bugaeva 2016) The light noun kat-u expresses assertive modality. (Bugaeva 2016) The light noun hi expresses assertive modality. (Bugaeva 2016) A predicate may be especially asserted or emphasized by employing the verb ki 'do' as an auxiliary. (Refsing 1986: 208) The restrictive postposition ka is often interpolated between the main verb and the assertive auxiliary ki to strengthen the emphasis. (Refsing 1986: 208) When parallel verb expressions are asserted with ka ki, the inclusive meaning of ka is clearly demonstrated. (Refsing 1986: 208) The assertive auxiliary ki primarily affects the verb expression of which it forms a part, whereas an assertive sentence-final form evaluates the sentence as a totality. (Refsing 1986: 211) The construction [finite verb + noyne + (an / siran / humas)] expresses 'it seems that ~' or 'it looks like ~'. (Satō 2008: 194)
nankor — epistemic probability and conjecture
How does Hokkaido Ainu use the auxiliary nankor to express epistemic probability or conjecture?
The auxiliary nankor expresses epistemic conjecture or probability ('probably, will likely'). (Nakagawa 2024: 310, Satō 2008: 84) The particle nankor functions as a conjectural particle ('probably'), a mild command, or a rhetorical question marker. (Kindaichi & Chiri 1936) The forms an-ne (singular) and okai-ne (plural) serve as sentence endings of conjecture. (Kindaichi & Chiri 1936) The auxiliary nankor expresses doubt about the validity of a statement, while implying that the speaker feels it to be quite probable for the statement to be or to become true. (Refsing 1986: 206) The auxiliary nankor expresses doubt about the validity of a statement. (Refsing 1986: 207) When a speaker uses nankor, he implies that he feels it to be quite probable for the statement to be or to become true. (Refsing 1986: 207) The conjectural auxiliary 'nankor', combining with a finite verb, expresses conjecture ('probably / will ~'). (Satō 2008: 193) 'nankor' primarily expresses conjecture about future events, but can also express conjecture about present or past situations. (Satō 2008: 193)
kus(u) ne — prospective intentional
How does Hokkaido Ainu express prospective intentional meaning using the construction kusu ne?
The combination of the conjunctionalizer kusu with the auxiliary verb ki expresses a stronger intention than rusuy. (Refsing 1986: 206, 207) Expressions with kusu ki may take a second-person subject in interrogative and conditional sentences. (Refsing 1986: 206, 207) Expressions with kusu ki cannot take an inanimate subject because a conscious agent is presupposed. (Refsing 1986: 206, 207) The auxiliary kus(u) ne expresses the speaker's intention or volition ('intend to, will'). (Satō 2008: 191, 193) Ishi-hō expresses the speaker's intention or will. (Kindaichi & Chiri 1936) For uncertain actions such as future actions, kusu is attached to the verb. (Murasaki 2025: 23) The construction kusu kara expresses that an event is about to happen, is intended, or looks likely to happen. (Murasaki 2025: 70) The auxiliary verb kusu expresses intention to do something in the future ('will ~ from now on'). (Murasaki 2025: 93) The auxiliary for the intentional mood consists of kusu in combination with the transitive verb ki 'do'. (Refsing 1986: 253) A verb personal form followed by kus(u) ne expresses 'intend to, try to, or be going to'. (Satō 2008: 192) 'kus ne' is often followed by the sentence-final particles 'na' or 'wa' when transmitting information or appealing to the addressee. (Satō 2008: 193) The use of the mood particle kusu-ne has been extended to express future tense and polite imperatives. (Shibatani 1990)
Near-future auxiliaries: oasi, etokus, etokoyki
How does Hokkaido Ainu express stronger certainty about future events using near-future auxiliaries?
manu — reportative hedging
How does Hokkaido Ainu use the auxiliary manu to express reportative hedging or attributive meaning?
Scope and the evidential interface
How does Hokkaido Ainu restrict the scope of epistemic and irrealis auxiliaries relative to evidential markers?
The conjunctions kotom(no) and noine express 'seeming to be...' ('...rashiku'). (Kindaichi & Chiri 1936)