Epistemic Modality Functional properties and the Italian system; Editorial page; Title page; Copyright page; Table of contents; ABBREVIATIONS; INTRODUCTION; I. THE NOTIONAL CATEGORY OF EPISTEMIC MODALITY; II. A TYPOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF EPISTEMIC SYSTEMS; III. EPISTEMIC MODALITY IN ITALIAN; IV. SEMANTIC OPPOSITIONS; V.A TYPOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ITALIAN EPISTEMIC MODALITY; VI. INFLECTIONAL AND DISTRIBUTIONAL CONSTRAINTS. THE (LOW) PERFORMATIVITY OF ITALIAN EPISTEMIC MODALITY; VII. ASPECTUAL CONSTRAINTSON THE PROPOSITIONAL CONTENT
VIII. THE INCOMPLETENESS OF THE PROPOSITIONAL CONTENTAND THE METAPROPOSITIONALITY OF EPISTEMIC MODALITYIX. A DIACHRONIC HYPOTHESIS; CONCLUSIONS; NOTES; BIBLIOGRAPHY; SUBJECT INDEX; The series Studies in Language Companion Series
Summary
This volume offers an original theoretical and methodological approach to the hotly debated issue of epistemic modality. The analysis is conducted in a rigorous typological frame developed after a careful consideration of a wealth of cross-linguistic data, and focuses on Italian, a language often disregarded in comparative analyses. The complexity of the Italian epistemic system provides relevant information that will undoubtedly foster a better understanding of the topic. A new definition of epistemic modality is proposed on a functional basis and the structure of the Italian epistemic system
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 217-229) and index
