Tense and Modality in two creoles: Capeverdean and Saamáka

Abstract

<p>This paper provides evidence for the claim that in certain languages epistemic modality can have both a past and a present modal anchor time (in the case of CV), while in other languages epistemic modality must have a present modal anchor time (in the case of SM). Additionally, in his Language Bioprogram Hypothesis, Bickerton (1981, 1984) claims that tense, aspect and modality is similar across creoles. We will demonstrate that this claim is only partially correct. The modality system of these two creoles is very similar: Both have a necessity modal which conveys obligation and epistemic readings, and a possibility modal which conveys ability, permissive and epistemic readings. Furthermore, both have a past marker. A difference occur s when the past marker co-occurs with the modals; in CV both the circumstantial and epistemic reading of the two modals surfaces, whereas in SM only the circumstantial reading surfaces, the epistemic reading is infelicitous. The present paper accounts for this on the grounds of some important distinct features between these languages functional morphemes, which reflects in their respective functional structures.</p>

Capeverdean reflexives: the importance of a silent Voice

“…The temporal and aspectual interpretation of the sentence is conveyed by the same morphemes, and their various combinations, that guarantee this information in their active counterparts: Null Perfect (Pratas 2012(Pratas , 2014, progressive sata, the modal ta (that participates both in habitual and in future constructions) and the past variant of the passive -du, which is -da (Pratas 2007(Pratas , 2010Rendall, in prep. ) In the resultative passive (33), the verb may also be marked with the passive morpheme, but, as opposed to verbal passives, an auxiliary is at stake here: fika, here meaning 'become' .…”

Sobre Os Sujeitos Pré-Verbais Duplicados: Uma Análise Contrastiva Entre O Português Vernacular Brasileiro, O Caboverdiano E O Santome | on the Double Preverbal Subjects: a Constrative Analysis Among Vernacular Brazilian Portuguese, Caperverdean And...

“…(3) *Tout Para maiores detalhes dessa proposta, conferir Pratas (2004Pratas ( , 2007 e, para uma análise adicional de que o CCV não é uma língua não-pro-drop, conferir também Alexandre, Duarte e Santos (2013). 9…”