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Article published In: Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area
Vol. 48:2 (2025) ► pp.193–235

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A preliminary study of the evidential-epistemic system of Dolpo, a Tibetic language of Nepal

 | Université d’Aix-Marseille and CNRS
ORCiD logo with link | Charles University
Published online: 13 October 2025
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/ltba.24013.tou
Abstract
The goal of this article is to describe the evidential-epistemic (E-E) system of Dolpo, a Tibetic language of Nepal. The evidential and epistemic paradigms are constructed with equative, existential, and auxiliary verbs. The first two, equative and existential verbs, are also used as linking verbs, whereas auxiliary verbs form a part of verbal endings. These markers can be divided into two major types depending on what they connote: if doubt is conveyed, the verb is labelled as epistemic; if the statement is strictly based on evidence, the verb is designated as evidential. The core part of this article comprises a systematic overview of the interaction of E-E markers with differing tenses and aspects. Moreover, we demonstrate the existence of some original features of the Dolpo system, including documentation of specific inferential markers; we also discuss several semantic and cognitive differences in the E-E markers of local varieties within Dolpo. The multiterm E-E system is illustrated by examples obtained during linguistic fieldwork in Dolpo in 2022 and 2023.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Evidential-Epistemic system
    • 2.1Evidential categories
    • 2.2Epistemic categories
    • 2.3Interaction between evidential and epistemic categories
  • 3.Evidential paradigms of equative and existential verbs
    • 3.1Evidentials with equative verbs
    • 3.2Evidentials with existential verbs
  • 4.Interaction of E-E markers with different tenses and aspects
    • 4.1Evidential functions in the Present
    • 4.2Evidential functions in the preterit
    • 4.3Evidential functions in the progressive
    • 4.4Evidential functions in the perfect tense
    • 4.5Evidential functions in the future
    • 4.6Epistemic markers with the various tenses and aspects
      • 4.6.1The epistemic present, non-completed past, and future
      • 4.6.2The epistemic completed past
    • 4.7Hearsay marking
    • 4.8Summary of Dolpo E-E system and its specific features
  • 5.Differences in the evidential functions of the Dolpo varieties
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
References (49)
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