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Can a verb reveal how you know something?

“Ahmet came” leaves an English listener free to wonder how the speaker knows. Turkish offers verb forms that can signal a distinction between witnessing an event and learning about it indirectly. Evidentiality makes the source of information part of grammar. That is a different question from how confident, honest, or accurate the speaker happens to be.

3–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • How is “I saw it” different from “I am certain it happened”?

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Language

How much can six braille dots say?

A braille cell has only six positions, but its meaning depends on more than which dots are raised. In Unified English Braille, letters, indicators, and context work together to represent written language.

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How much can six braille dots say?

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ASL has its own grammar

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ASL has its own grammar

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Can a verb reveal how you know something? | Speech Topic | speaking.app