Negative constructions in Beja

Martine Vanhove (1)

1 LLACAN - Langage, LAngues et Cultures d'Afrique

This chapter presents the negative constructions of Beja, a North-Cushitic (Afroasiatic) language, which are basically asymmetrical. It discusses in turn (i) standard negation in declarative main clauses with A/Cat/TAM asymmetry; (ii) the two negative types in non-declaratives, one of which does not use a negator but stem alternation and specific inflection; (iii) negation in non-main clauses (even more asymmetrical than declaratives); (iv) privatives, which include one case of clause chaining instead of a negator; (v) phasal negation; (vi) negation in stative predications; (vii) negative replies and their pragmatics. It also discusses the absence of negative transport, as well as of negative indefinites and the strategies used instead, and shows that indefinite subjects may be used (with semantic restrictions) in negative locative predications.

Domaines: Linguistique

Martine Vanhove. Negative constructions in Beja. Ljuba Veselinova and Matti Miestamo (eds.). Negation in the languages of the world., Language Science Press, In press. ⟨halshs-02187203⟩