Value Ability verb cannot express epistemic possibility

Language:
Kriol
Parameter:
Ability verb and epistemic possibility

Examples

  1. "Wal ai gin trai." Imin lagijat la olabat.
    "Wal
    well
    ai
    1sg
    gin
    can
    trai."
    try
    Im=in
    3sg=pst
    lagijat
    like.that
    la
    loc
    olabat.
    3pl
    "Well, I'll try," he said to them.

    See Sandefur and Sandefur 1982: 61

  2. Brom top, yu ken luk ole haus ebriwea.
    Brom
    from
    top,
    top
    yu
    2sg
    ken
    can
    luk
    see
    ole
    pl
    haus
    house
    ebriwea.
    everywhere
    From the top, you can see the houses everywhere.
  3. Teikim Nawurla tu, jet tubala Nangari ken luk ani laik thet from haiwei.
    Teik-im
    take-tr
    Nawurla
    Nawurla
    tu,
    too
    jet
    dem
    tubala
    two
    Nangari
    Nangari
    ken
    can
    luk
    see
    ani
    just
    laik
    like
    thet
    dem
    from
    from
    haiwei.
    highway
    Take Nawurla too, those two, Nangari and her, will be able to see it just like that from the highway. (Context: looking for a particular plant)
  4. Wanim reintaim im gro thet big intit, en yu ken luk thet flaua bla im yuno.
    Wan=im
    subord=3sg
    rein-taim
    rain-time
    im
    3sg
    gro
    grow
    thet
    dem
    big
    big
    intit,
    tag
    en
    and
    yu
    2sg
    ken
    can
    luk
    see
    thet
    dem
    flaua
    flower
    bla
    poss
    im
    3sg
    yuno.
    you.know
    In the rain time it grows this high, doesn't it, and you can see its flower, you know.