Talk:Dubitative mood
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This article is arguing with itself (has comments in the text). AnonMoos 08:48, 30 September 2006 (UTC)
This article states that this is an example of evidentiality - this is simply incorrect. Evidentiality is the stating of information source, and never 'epistemology' - judging the quality of information source. I can't find the quote right now, but see 'Evidentiality', Aikhenvald 2004. TzirTtzi
[edit] The German example and the evidential claim
I removed the German example for now, per AnonMoos' comments above. It read:
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- Dubitative mood in German can be expressed when reporting events one did not experience personally. Compare the following two German sentences:
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- Der neue Kanzler sagt, er werde die Zahl der Arbeitslosen senken.
- "The new chancellor says he will reduce unemployment."
- Der neue Kanzler sagt, er werde die Zahl der Arbeitslosen senken.
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- Der neue Kanzler sagt, er würde die Zahl der Arbeitslosen senken.
- "The new chancellor says he will reduce unemployment."
- Der neue Kanzler sagt, er würde die Zahl der Arbeitslosen senken.
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- [Caution: Following statement is not precise and requires review, as "werde" is in fact a subjunctive form. "wird" would be the simple (indicative) present. "werde" and "würde" express progressively greater levels of doubt in speakder's mind of agent's (chancellor's) probability of action.] In the first sentence, the phrase er werde, using a simple future form, indicates that the speaker is neutral about what the chancellor's ability and intention, while in the second sentence, the phrase er würde, using a subjunctive form, indicates that the speaker doubts the chancellor will be able to keep his promise, or doubts even the chancellor's desire to do so.
I also hid the claim that the dubitative is an evidential, per TzirTzi's comments above. If we're going to add the German example back in, I think we need to both (a) figure out what's actually grammatically correct and what the verb forms are..., and (b) improve and condense the description/explanation, which as it stands now strikes me as unnecessarily confusing to lay readers. But I dunno. --Miskwito 09:42, 24 March 2007 (UTC)
