Decorative image of a chalkboard with the daily prompt written on it, in front of mousey students
Conlang Year, Day 226 prompt

Goal: Explore evidential marking

Note: Reconsider your verb system and verb inflections to decide if you will mark evidentiality.

Tip: Evidentials can provide the same information as a matrix verb.

Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try


Another verbal area to explore is evidential markers. These markers indicate how the speaker knows the information in the clause. A common evidential system indicates whether the speaker knows the information firsthand (they have direct evidence for what they’re saying) or has surmised, heard, or otherwise gleaned the information in other ways. 

More complex evidential systems may mark if the speaker knows the information from direct visual evidence, aural evidence, or has good reason to believe the truth of the information without knowing it directly.

Spend your time today exploring options to consider whether you will mark evidentiality through some sort of inflection. Remember you don’t need to incorporate these as inflections—the same kind of information can be provided through verb choice (e.g. “I think it rained” versus “I know it rained”).