Assessing a proposition as very unlikely

A proposition – expressed within a hypothetical line of thoughts – is assessed as very unlikely due to the speaker’s/signer’s knowledge and/or past experiences.

Assessing a proposition in ÖGS as very unlikely can be expressed by the following non-manual means:

• Headshakes performed in a tentative way
• Wrinkling the nose, frequently co-occurring with headshakes described above
• Furrowing the eyebrows, frequently co-occurring with headshakes described above
• Pushing the head backward, frequently co-occurring with headshakes described above
• Squinting the eyes, again and again co-occurring

In order to assess a proposition - expressed within a hypothetical line of thoughts - as very unlikely, the proposition is constantly accompanied by the nonmanuals listed above.

The following examples are given to illustrate this type of epistemic modality:

1. I wonder whether a person is good at playing tennis. I suppose that this is rather not the case.
2. When hiking in spring time, normally the Alpine inn is closed. I am wondering whether the Alpine inn is open or closed and conclude that this is rather not the case.
3. My son usually comes home from school at lunch time and rings the doorbell. The doorbell rings too early. Based on my knowledge, I am sure that it is very unlikely my son who rings at the doorbell. Probably it is the postman. (The statement that “it is very unlikely my son” [performed by the signs MY SON] is accompanied by the nonmanuals listed above.)