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In addition to the `morphological' modals
ÁÔ£ laam `may', ᣠ-Num `must', and åÜ mudi
`can', there are syntactic constructions which give various degrees of
probability and/or possibility. One of these, a form which generally can be
translated `(it) might just be possible that (x)' or perhaps (x) will (y)',
takes the form of a verb appearing in the concessive (cf. 6.8) followed by the
same verb with the modal laam affixed to it. Examples:
- À¿Õ§ Âÿ»Ôè£ ÂÀÁÔ£ reyil vandaalum varalaam
`The train might just possibly come.'
-
Çõ×´²çÿâ »Õç£½Õ ÂÀØÂýÜ¿Õçÿ»Ôè£ Éç¡´ÁÔ£
angeyrundu tirumbi varaveendiyirundaalum irukkalaam.
`It might just be necessary to come back from there.'
In terms of chance and probability, the degree of certainty underlying
the semantics of this form could be said to be approximately 40%, i.e., the
chances are less than even that the event in question will occur.
Haorld_F.Schiffman