Forms of Negativity (was: A question and introduction)

>From: Rune Haugseng <haugrune@...>
>Yes - if you negate the subject, you negate the whole sentence:
>
>1) Kalha nulha bonudawel zalkale?
>    kalha        nul-ha  bonu-daw-le   zalka-le
>    travel-to.Pt Ques-Pt man-that-NDSg forest-NDSg
>    Was that man going to the forest?
>
>    Kalha bonudawule    zalkale.
>    kalha        bonu-daw-hule   zalka-le
>    travel-to.Pt man-that-NegDSg forest-NDSg
>    That man was not going to the forest.
>    (No (that man) was going to the forest)
>
>The man might be going somewhere else, or nowhere at all, but not to
>the forest.
>
>If you negate another part of the sentence, the rest of the sentence
>is unaffected:
>
>2) Kalha bonudawel nul?
>    kalha        bonu-daw-le   nul
>    travel-to.Pt man-that-NDSg which
>    Where was that man going?
>
>    Kalha bonudawel zalkahule.
>    kalha        bonu-daw-le   zalka-hule
>    travel-to.Pt man-that-NDSg forest-NegDSg
>    That man was not going to the forest (but somewhere else).
>    (That man was going to no (the forest).)
>
>The man is not going to the forest, but is definitely going *somewhere*.
>
Oh - interesting - I think that was half of my earlier confusion - I was not
making the distinction between negating subjects and objects.  I think I'll
have to think a whole lot more about what Komahren does - I haven't really
gotten to negation yet.

Andy



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