PsblSit~Ep: Situational and epistemic possibility are partially distinguished in terms of verbal modality.

(1) wɔ̄j wēl-ti jɔ̄x ār lāŋki wēl-ti wērǝt-l-ǝt.

animal kill-prs.ptc people lot squirrel kill-inf can-prs-3pl

‘The hunters might catch a lot of squirrels.’/‘The hunters can catch a lot of squirrels.’(S. O.)

(2) tam lɔ̄r-n ūś-ti rāx-l.

this marsh_lake swim-inf may/allowed-prs.3sg

‘You may swim in this lake.’/’It is allowed to swim in this lake.’ (S. O.)

(3) wera-jen ūś-ti śir taj-ǝl.

Vera-2sg swim-prs.ptc manner possess-prs.3sg

‘Vera can swim.’ (S. O.)

In Synja Khanty, the wērǝt ‘can’ + infinitive construction can express situational and epistemic possibility. The xɔ̄š- ’can, able’ and the rāx- ‘may, allowed’ verbs with infinitives denote situational possibility. Similarly, if the taj- ‘possess’ verb takes the noun śir ‘manner’ and its participle adjunct as its object, the construction expresses situational possibility (S. O., F. L.). The topic requires further research.