[Lingtyp] Epistemic possibility plus affective evaluation?

[Randy J. LaPolla]

Hi Bastian,
Would English “any” and “some” fit the bill, as first discussed by Robin Lakoff in 1969 (Language 45:608-615)?

Do you want some pie? (assumes a positive response)
Do you want any pie? (assumes a negative response)

Randy
-----
Randy J. LaPolla, PhD FAHA （羅仁地）
Professor of Linguistics, with courtesy appointment in Chinese, School of Humanities 
Nanyang Technological University
HSS-03-45, 48 Nanyang Avenue | Singapore 639818
http://randylapolla.info/ <http://randylapolla.info/>
(personal.ntu.edu.sg/randylapolla <http://personal.ntu.edu.sg/randylapolla>)
Most recent books:
The Sino-Tibetan Languages, 2nd Edition (2017)
https://www.routledge.com/The-Sino-Tibetan-Languages-2nd-Edition/LaPolla-Thurgood/p/book/9781138783324 <https://www.routledge.com/The-Sino-Tibetan-Languages-2nd-Edition/LaPolla-Thurgood/p/book/9781138783324>
Sino-Tibetan Linguistics (2018)
https://www.routledge.com/Sino-Tibetan-Linguistics/LaPolla/p/book/9780415577397 <https://www.routledge.com/Sino-Tibetan-Linguistics/LaPolla/p/book/9780415577397>




> On 19 Oct 2020, at 10:50 PM, Bastian Persohn <persohn.linguistics at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Dear colleagues,
> 
> I was wondering if you know of any examples of expressions of epistemic
> possibility - especially adverbials - that additionally contribute an element
> of affective evaluation, i.e. expressions that could be paraphrased in English along
> the lines of  ʻmaybe (and I hope that is the case)ʼ or ʻmaybe (but hopefully that's not the case)ʼ.
> 
> Thanks so much!
> 
> Bastian
> 
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