Evidential language in Internet forums

Abstract

Abstract This article analyses the function of the multiword lexeme ya me dirás tú as used in Internet forums. We defend the notion that ya me dirás tú is a highly polyphonic discourse marker. Its function is evidential as of the moment in which the speaker uses this unit to present a subjective appraisal as a logical truth within the framework of an assertion. We therefore focus on evidentiality from not only a lexical but also a textual-discursive standpoint. Internet forums are the ideal type of text for studying a unit like ya me dirás tú, which is typically used in colloquial language.