Reportative speech in Udihe and beyond

The article considers strategies of expressing reportative speech in Udihe. It is shown that the Euro-centric ideas about “direct” and “indirect” speech as main types of reportative speech are not supported by the facts of this language. Udihe uses a different system, based on a strict distinction between levels of the cited speech, as well as between author’s and reportative speech. This distinction is realized by marking not only the beginning, but also the end of the reportative passage.