確信度の副詞スケール (3級超頻出)
definitely
certainly (100% 確実)
probably (70-80% たぶん)
maybe
perhaps (50% かもしれない)
possibly (30% ひょっとして)
hardly (10% ほとんどない)
確信度で使い分け。perhaps vs maybe
ほぼ同義だが perhaps はやや書き言葉、メール・スピーチで使う、maybe は会話的・カジュアル。
位置の柔軟性
文頭: "Perhaps it's true."
文中: "It is perhaps true."
文末: "Perhaps." (一語返事)。Perhaps not = たぶん違う ("Perhaps not. Let me think.")。