Evidentiality

Evidentiality is the grammatical encoding of information source on the verb. Mi'gmaq has two markers—-p(n) and -s((p)n). Mi’gmaq has two clear evidential markers—the direct and indirect marker, -p(n) and -s(n), respectively. These mark source of information, whether firsthand or non-firsthand. Whenever -p(n) is used a past tense reading applies. The indirect marker is also used in the past tense and also surfaces in future tense environments (Inglis & Johnson, 2001). The direct and indirect markers have two forms—-p, -pn and -s, -sn, respectively. Morphosyntactic constraints dictate, which form surfaces: the n is dropped word-finally except in embedded clauses (Loughran, 2012).

Direct marker

The direct marker, -p(n), always conveys a past tense interpretation. This marker is used when the speaker has direct evidence or is certain of the event he or she is uttering.

mijji- 'eat'

↓person / number→		SG	DU	PL
1	13	mijjiap	mijjieg'p	mijjultieg'p
	12		mijjigup	mijjultigup
2		mijji't'p	mijjioqop	mijjultioqop
3		mijjip	mijjipnig	mijjultipnig

Indirect marker

The indirect Evidential—also referred to in the literature as suppositive—marks information acquired through means other than the firsthand. This could be a report or hearsay. This is marked by -s(n). A conjugation of the indirect marker for intransitive animate verbs is given below. Often the particle to’q 'apparently' occurs with the indirect marker.

mijji- 'eat'

↓person / number→		SG	DU	PL
1	13	mijjiass	mijjieg's	mijjultieg's
	12		mijjigus	mijjultigus
2		mijji's'p	mijjioqoss	mijjultioqoss
3		mijjiss	mijjisp'nig	mijjultisp'nig

Below is an example of a sentence with to'q. For example, the speaker sees a dirty shirt that appears to have been white, she can say:

1. wape'g-'s           to'q        
   be.white.VII-INDIR  apparently  
   'It was white, apparently.'

Allomorph of the indirect marker

An allomorph of the indirect marker is -s'p(n). This surfaces in all second person singular conjugations as well as occasionally in other conjugations. In second person singular conjugations, it is most always interpreted as a question.

Indirect marker in questions

The indirect marker is always used in questions in the past tense. In Mi'gmaq this reflects the lack of information source of the speaker.