From agent-oriented modality to sequential: the polysemy of the marker ni in Kakabe (Mande)
Résumé
The paper provides an analysis of an unusual type polysemy of a modal marker which so far has not been in the focus of the studies dealing with semantics and grammaticalization paths of modal meaning, namely the polysemy between the modal mean-ing of obligation and the sequential meaning. Modal meaning and the dependent status of a clause may be related because they are both characterized by the lack of assertiveness. This hypothesis is explored in the diachronic perspective on the example of Kakabe data.