Niuean modals #
The modals of Niuean (Polynesian, ISO 639-3 niu) that [Mat16] §18.5 contrasts: the
general-purpose epistemic liga, usable in contexts of both high and low certainty, and the
circumstantial maeke and lata, specialized for possibility and for necessity. Liga 'likely'
is a restructuring pre-verb at the left edge of the predicate ([Mas20] §2.5.1), and the
perfect kua follows it but precedes lata ([MQT12]). Maeke 'possible,
able' is a raising verb, ability being one of its most frequent uses; lata expresses
obligation, 'should' or 'ought', and need ([Mas20]).
Implementation notes #
- The library's circumstantial flavour covers ability and teleological readings: maeke's ability and possibility uses and lata's 'needs to' ([Mas20] (29a)) are circumstantial, lata's obligation reading deontic.
- No deontic use of maeke is attested in these sources, whose verbs of permission are fakamatā 'permit' and toka 'let' ([Mas20] p. 186).
TODO #
- Check the entries against [Sei80]'s description of the modals, known here only through the examples [Mat16] and [Mas20] take from it.
References #
The epistemic pre-verb liga 'likely', usable in contexts of both high and low certainty and so translated 'might', 'probably' or 'must'.
Equations
- Niuean.liga = { form := "liga", meaning := {Modality.ModalForce.possibility, Modality.ModalForce.necessity} ×ˢ {Modality.ModalFlavor.epistemic} }
Instances For
The circumstantial possibility verb maeke 'possible, able'.
Equations
- Niuean.maeke = { form := "maeke", meaning := {Modality.ModalForce.possibility} ×ˢ {Modality.ModalFlavor.circumstantial} }
Instances For
The circumstantial necessity verb lata, of obligation, 'should' or 'ought', and of need, 'needs to'.
Equations
- Niuean.lata = { form := "lata", meaning := {Modality.ModalForce.necessity} ×ˢ {Modality.ModalFlavor.circumstantial, Modality.ModalFlavor.deontic} }