Toward a Unified Semantics for U in U + Situation in Taiwan Southern Min: A Modal-Aspectual Account

摘要

U in u + situation in Taiwan Southern Min has been noted, in the literature, to express multiple readings. In this paper, we argue for a modal-aspectual account for u. The semantics of u includes an epistemic modal base, a modal force - necessity, and an affirmative ordering source, which orders possible worlds based on the number of propositions affirmed to be true. Furthermore, u performs event realization, with complications concerning atelic situations.