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Table 6 Manifestations of probability along the rank-scale in Chinese

From: From explicit to implicit orientation: mapping rank scale to modality in English and Chinese

Rank-scale

Interpersonal unit

Experiential unit

Orientation

Examples of probability

clause

Proposition

Figure

explicit

wǒ kàn

我 看

wǒde kànfǎ shì

我的 看法 是

wǒ rènwéi de…

我认为的…

phrase

 

projecting Circumstance

quasi-explicit

zài wǒ kànlái

在我看来

group

modal Adjunct

 

implicit

kěnéng可能/yǒukěnéng有可能

yěxǔ也许

kǒngpà 恐怕

shuōbúdìng说不定

méizhǔn没准

word

verbal Adjunct

 

implicit

yīnggāi应该

mood element

 

implicit

ba