LOS MARCADORES EPISTÉMICOS EN DIACRONÍA: IGUAL Y LO MISMO EN UN ESTUDIO DE CORPUS.

This corpus-based analysis aims at furthering the studies on epistemic markers in Spanish with a special focus on two of the latter forms which have been incorporated to this paradigm: igual and lo mismo. For our purposes, two historical corpora have been used, namely CORDE and CREA as they allow a diachronic overview of the forms under analysis and the identification of the context in which these formulas could have developed their current epistemic value. This is to be found in the comparative structures in which both formulas could appear: when one of the two terms in the comparison is omitted, the epistemic value emerges. Likewise, the data also reveal a clear tendency to use both formulas with verbs in the indicative mood, a feature which distinguishes igual and lo mismo from other epistemic markers like quizá(s) or tal vez, which favored the use of the subjunctive. Grammaticalization is used as the theoretical frame to approach the change undergone by the selected items. The study closes with a contrastive analysis of the various markers discussed throughout the paper in present-day oral Spanish as shown in CORPES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]