Prof. Krasimira Aleksova, DSc.,
Dr. Mihaela Moskova, Assis. Prof.,
Dr. Danka Apostolova, Assoc. Prof.,
Dr. Yana Sivilova, Assoc. Prof.,
Dr. Laska Laskova, PhD,
Patrik Mihaylov
Sofia University
Institute for Bulgarian Language
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
https://doi.org/10.53656/bel2024-6-5KM
Absract. This study analyzes the differences between the indicative, inferential, renarrative and dubitative forms in contemporary Bulgarian based on their perceived degree of reliability, as evaluated through a survey conducted with 950 Bulgarian native speakers. The primary objective is to investigate how they perceive distinctions in reliability across six experimental scenarios that combine forms of all four evidentials. The results are used to examine the degrees of reliability in each pair
of evidentials. Additionally, the study revisits the discussion on whether subordinate
relationship exists between the features of subjectivity and renarrativity (reportedness)
which form the oppositions between the four evidentials in contemporary Bulgarian.
Keywords: contemporary Bulgarian language; evidentiality; indicative; conclusive; renarrative; dubitative; subjectivity; renarrativity (reportedness); survey; reliability distance; perceptual linguistics
