PsblSit~Ep: Situational and epistemic possibility are partially distinguished in terms of verbal modality.
hunter man-pl lot squirrel hand-lat lead-inf able-pst.3pl
‘The hunters might have killed a lot of squirrels. / ‘The hunters were able to kill a lot of squirrels
(because there were a lot of squirrels in the winter).’ (S. D.)
Vera swim-inf can.prs.3sg
‘Vera can swim.’ (S. D.)
this lake-loc swim-inf possible.prs.3sg
‘It is allowed to swim in this lake (because nobody is fishing there). / It is possible to swim in this lake
(because it’s warm enough).’ (S. D.)
In Northern Mansi, epistemic and situational possibility are overlapping categories. The infinite of the verb + the wērmi ‘able’ auxiliary construction can mark both epistemic and situational possibility (1). The other two constructions, however, can only express epistemic possibility (2)–(3).