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Expressions of evidentiality in Czech journalistic texts (the case of údajně - údajný)

Publication at Faculty of Education |
2013

Abstract

The article deals with the function of evidential expressions in Czech journalistic texts. In parts 1. - 2., the nature and forms of evidentials in Czech are presented, including the fact that in this language, evidentiality not being grammaticalized, expressing the source of information can be formally diverse.

As a result, it gets close to argumentation and explanation, i.e., subsidiary illocutions. In part 3., examples of Czech journalistic texts are analyzed showing several distinctive functions of údajně.

It mainly works as a marker either of author's exemption of responsibility towards the validity of the presented information or a means of expression of a manipulative strategy (presenting the source of information as unreliable).