Contextual Analysis on the Expression of Uncertainty: Certainly versus Maybe. Study in a Computerized Corpus

In this study there is analyzed the functioning of two probability markers, certainly and maybe, elements of very different degree of certainty, in a speakers’ oral corpus of Spain. This analysis reveals their presence in causal environments, as well as their recurrence together with diverse probability markers, cognitive verbs or expressions of doubt, along with other phenomena. The behavior of these two exponents reveals notable similarities, though with minor frequency of certainly in some of the analyzed contexts, probably due to its higher level of security.