Datapoint Juba Arabic/Ability verb and epistemic possibility
In Juba Arabic we have two verbal constructions which express situational possibility. The first one is related to the domain of ability and it consists in the use of the verb ágder 'can' (which is always preceded by the habitual marker); the second one is concerned with the domain of epistemic possibility and is expressed by the impersonal verbal forms yúmkin and múmkin. We consider múmkin and yúmkin as impersonal verbs because they are not preceded by subject. In descriptive terms we could also consider them as adjectives.
Values 
Ability verb cannot express epistemic possibility
- Example 64-113:
-
ay ma biágder integrétayeachmanegbi=ágderirr=canintegrétintegratedNobody can be integrated.
Source: Manfredi 2005: 110
- Example 64-114:
-
kan rábbana géru íta íta biágder árif hája al kwes wa al batálkancondrábbanagodgéruchangeíta2sgíta2sgbi=ágderirr=canárifknowhájathingalrelkwesgoodwaandalrelbatálbadIf God changed you, you could know what is right and what is wrong.
Source: Manfredi 2005: 195
- Example 64-115:
-
gal kan múmkin úo biakírgalsaykanantmúmkinpossibleúo3sgbi=akírirr=lateHe said that he could have been late.
Source: Manfredi 2005: 181
- Example 64-116:
-
yúmkin úo birája min kulía bi lelyúmkinpossibleúo3sgbi=rájairr=come.backminfromkulíafacultybiatlelnightHe may come back from the faculty at night.
Source: Manfredi 2005: 168
- Confidence:
- Very certain