The term negative verb or negative auxiliary refers to an auxiliary verb whose function is to negate the clause in which it occurs.[1][2] Negative verbs are similar in function to Englishnot and -n't, but unlike English not (which is not a verb)[1][3] a negative verb inflects for agreement with the subject. This can be seen in the following two examples from Finnish. In the affirmative sentence (1) agreement appears on the main verbsyödä 'eat'. In the negative sentence (2) agreement appears on the negative verb ei and the main verb appears in a non-finite form.
While the discussion of negative verbs is common in the context of Uralic languages like Finnish, they are known to occur in a variety of language families.[1] For example, the Tungusic language Uilta (Orok) displays similar behavior to Finnish, only here the negative verb inflects both for subject agreement and tense:
While not vanishingly rare, negative verbs are a relatively uncommon form of clausal negation in the world's languages. Most languages use some sort of negation particle (such as English not) or a verbal affix (such as the suffix -me in Turkish); still others use a combination two non-verbal markers (so-called double negation).[1] Each of these three strategies is more common than negative verbs.
The main factor that distinguishes negative verbs from negative particles is that they display the morphological and syntactic properties of verbs.[1] Thus, a negative verb should conjugate like a verb, displaying, for example, agreement and tense morphology in languages that have these features. They will also appear in syntactic positions associated with verbs. However, the morphology and syntax of some languages will not always make it possible to conclusively distinguish between negative verbs and negative particles.[1]
Uralic languages
Uralic languages differ from each other in the particulars of negation predicate use but continue to show specific similarities.[6] For defining different patterns of negation predicates it is necessary to know about the lexical verb (LV) and the finite form (FE). Miestamo defined four types of asymmetry in negation verbs. The first type shows a prominent appearance in Uralic languages. It is defined as A/Fin (A = asymmetry | Fin = finiteness) and describes that influenced by the negation verb, the finiteness of the LV is reduced or lost. For example, the LV loses the finiteness because the clause is marked by the de-verbalizing negative morpheme. Therefore, the copula is added as a type that holds the finite status (FE). In some Uralic languages, speakers produce[clarification needed]connegatives to construct the syntactically acceptable word form used in negative clauses.
Finnish
The standard negation (SN) in the Finnish language is realized by a verbal complex.[7] First the LV with a non-finite character is formed followed by the finite element which is presented as the negative auxiliary. The root of the auxiliary is 'e-'. The ending gives information about person and number. The marker for tense is not presented on the auxiliary and is only dependent on the clausal context. Therefore, tense is marked on the LV separated from the auxiliary and appears as connegative form in present tense and past participle in past tense.
The verb to be negated is inflected in the same way for all these forms: en maalaa "I don't paint", et maalaa, ei maalaa, emme maalaa, ette maalaa, eivät maalaa, from maalata "to paint". This form is the same as for the third person singular. The passive is formed as ei maalata "is not painted".
The verb to be negated takes the form älä maalaa "do not paint" in the second person singular and the form with -ko in älköön maalatko, älkäämme maalatko, älkäätte maalatko, älkööt maalatko in other persons and numbers. The (rarely used) passive form is älköön maalattako. Colloquial Finnish more likely uses the construction ei saa maalata "it is not allowed to be painted".
Estonian
The Estonian language uses a particle-like non-inflectional negative auxiliary[8] which is hierarchically presented on a pre-verbal slot. The auxiliary is realized as 'ei'. A special form differs from the SN while forming the connegative in the present tense, in the past form, or in the active past participle. In the Estonian language, the fictional character doesn't seem to be a necessary feature for the negative auxiliary, which differs from other Uralic languages. This is important because the question appears, if the auxiliary has to show a flectional marker even if the LV is not showing any flectional marker without using the negation modus.
In South Saami, the SN is realized by a negative auxiliary. This form is used in present tense and the preterite. The LV is presented as a connegative form. A special case is presented while creating the imperative.[10] In this case the negative auxiliary gets a full personal paradigm except for the third person 'dual'. The third person in singular in present tense of the negative auxiliary is prohibited as a negative reply.
Negative Verb - Strategies in clausal negations
SN
Negative AUX + connegative verb
Imperative/prohibitive sentences
- Negative AUX 'aell-' (prohibitive) + connegative verb
- Negative AUX 'oll-' (apprehensive) + connegative verb
Negation of non-verbal predicates
Negative AUX + connegative verb
Negation in dependent clauses
Negative AUX + connegative verb
Inari Sami
The negative verb is conjugated in moods and personal forms in Inari Sami.
Hungarian has lost most evidence of a negative verb, but the negation particle 'nem' becomes 'ne' before verbs in the jussive/imperative (also sometimes called the conditional mood or J-mood). Furthermore, the 3rd person present indicative of the copular verb ('lenni') has unique negative forms 'nincs(en)' and 'nincsenek' as opposed to 'nem van' and 'nem vannak', but only when the particle and verb would occur adjacently. In all other instances, the copular verb acts regularly. These forms are also unique in that they have an existential role "there is (not)" and "there are (not)". In the present indicative 3rd person, copular verbs are not used; rather the absence of a verb (with or without a negation particle) implies the copula.
Komi
In the Komi language, the negative marker and the form of the negative construction are dependent on the clausal tense.[11] If the corresponding affirmative predicate is based on a verbal form, a negative auxiliary is used. This is not convertible for affirmative verbs with nominal forms. The negative auxiliary is used in present tense, future tense, 1st past tense of indicative, and in the imperative and optative mood.
Korean verbs can be negated by the negative verbs 않다anta and 못하다mothada or by the negative adverbs 안an and 못mot. The copula이다ida has a corresponding negative copula 아니다anida. (anida is an independent word like anta and mothada, unlike ida which cannot stand on its own and must be attached to a noun.)
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