Modality and Theory of Mind Elements across Languages [electronic resource].

Preface; Contributors; Introduction: Theory of mind elements across languages; Part I. The foundation: speaker and hearer deixis, shifter, and double displacement; Epistemicity, evidentiality, and Theory of Mind (ToM); Illocutive force is speaker and information source concern. What type of syntax does the representation of speaker deixis require? Templates vs. derivational structure?; Exploring the Theory of Mind interface; The distribution of knowledge in (un)acceptable questions; Traces of B�uhler's semiotic legacy in modern linguistics.

Part II. Instances of deixis and origo in sundry languagesModal particles, speaker-hearer links, and illocutionary force; Discourse particles at the semantics-pragmatics interface; Modality in the Romance languages: Modal verbs and modal particles; The epistemological treatment of information and the interpersonal distribution of belief in language: German modal particles and the typological challenge; On mood, evidentiality, and person effects; Illocutionary force and modal particle in the syntax of Japanese.

What is it that keeps the rein on quotative modals so tight? A cross-linguistic perspectiveGeneral index.

Modality is the way a speaker modifies her declaratives and other speech acts to optimally assess the common ground of knowledge and belief of the addressee with the aim to optimally achieve understanding and an assessment of relevant information exchange. The contributions in this collection provide insight into modal techniques used in various languages from different areas of the world.

Description based on print version record.