Perception visuelle, inférence et polyphonie : de il pert que à il paraît que

Resumen

We study here the semantic evolution of the impersonal structure Il paraît que p from Old French il pert que until nowadays. This evolution has followed three stages: 1. Until the 14th century, il pert que is linked with direct visual perception. In Medieval and Preclassical French, il pert que, il appert que, il paroist que have most often an inferential evidential use with a meaning “it is clear that, it is obvious that”. in Classical French il paraît que1 replaces il paroist que with the same meaning. All three markers make possible an intersubjective reading, which has to do with knowledge in general. 2. In Classical French appears il paraît que2, which has evolved towards greater subjectivity. The markers indicates that the speaker has reasons to infer p from a number of clues, which are difficult to determine. 3. Il paraît que3 is a hearsay marker. This is the only possible use from 1925 onwards. With il paraît que3, the speaker takes some distance with respect to the evidence. He does not commit himself entirely to the assertion. Il paraît que has seen its modal value weaken over time. It has evolved towards greater subjectivity and a lower degree of certitude from the speaker.