22.438, Qs: Semantics: Sometimes vs. Maybe

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LINGUIST List: Vol-22-438. Tue Jan 25 2011. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 22.438, Qs: Semantics: Sometimes vs. Maybe

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1)
Date: 20-Jan-2011
From: George Huttar [gukageorge at gmail.com]
Subject: Semantics: Sometimes vs. Maybe
 

	
-------------------------Message 1 ---------------------------------- 
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 10:32:43
From: George Huttar [gukageorge at gmail.com]
Subject: Semantics: Sometimes vs. Maybe

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Some languages use an expression meaning "sometimes" to express 
possibility. Can you direct me to literature or other sources about how 
widespread this phenomenon is, and what its semantic rationale may 
be?

Examples: 
1. Swahili *pingine* is glossed in dictionaries as both 'sometimes' and 
'maybe'.

2. Kenyan English commonly uses *sometimes* where my American 
English dialect calls for *maybe*, as in "Sometimes she'll come 
tomorrow."

3. Dutch *soms* is used as both 'sometimes' and 'maybe'.

4. Some creoles of Suriname express possibility with forms derived 
from English *some time*, as in *Son+ten a sa kon.* 'Maybe s/he'll 
come.'

(Cf. Spanish and Portuguese *talvez* 'maybe'.)

Thanks. I'll post a summary if warranted by responses.

George Huttar 

Linguistic Field(s): Semantics




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