Datapoint Negerhollands/Ability verb and epistemic possibility

Values

Ability verb also expresses epistemic possibility

Example 27-148:
Ham na kan ris dǝ stēn.
Ham
3sg
na
neg
kan
can
ris
lift
dǝ
the
stēn.
stone
He cannot lift the stone.

Source: Josselin de Jong 1926: 11

Example 27-149:
Am ha sē, Adinja na kan sē am ēntēn lik: di fo ha sómgut am maṅkḗ am fo du.
Am
3sg
ha
pst
sē,
say
Adinja
Adinja
na
neg
kan
can
sē
say
am
3sg
ēntēn
no
lik:
lie
di
det
fo
must
ha
have
sómgut
something
am
3sg
maṅkḗ
want
am
3sg
fo
to
du.
do
He said, Adinja cannot have told him any lie: there must be something he wants him to do.

Source: Josselin de Jong 1926: 13

Confidence:
Unspecified