Some Concepts Diving deep into the negative  sentence negation | lexical negation | inherent negatives | disappearing negative | implied negative | negative questions | problems with careful speech |

Sentence negation:

Is the English negative "no"?

• I have some time. >>>*I no have any time.
• She can come today. >>>*She no can come today.

What seems to be the actual rule?

• Jose can come over tonight. >>> Jose can not come over tonight.
• I have seen him outside. >>> I have not seen him outside.
• Maria wants that. >>> Maria does not want that.

When would "n't" be appropriate usage?

• Jose can't come over tonight.
• I haven't seen him outside.
• Maria doesn't want that.

n

Lexical negation:

How would we make the following negative by attaching a negative prefix ( e.g. un-, dis-, a-, ir-, or non-) or suffix (e.g. -less) to a word? What seems to be the pattern? Are there alternatives?
 

happy    appropriate    possible
loyal    profitable    intervention
logical    relevant    ordered
typical    sense    drip
some    somebody    something
rational    believer    functional
professional    theoretical    moral
thing    body    one
somewhere    reasonable  wise
fasten    like    wrap
trust    stick    someone

Historically, to make things negative, we could add a ne prefix to a word. The following are some of these ne words that we still use.

never, nor, neither, none,

In the following sentence pairs, which seems more "educated," the sentence negation or the lexical negation?

• What you are doing is not appropriate.  vs What you are doing is inappropriate.
• He isn't happy. vs He's unhappy.
• They aren't very moral when they act that way. vs They are immoral when they act that way.

  

n

Inherent negatives:

Some words are inherently negative.  Which of the following have a positive and which a negative connotation?
 

a little, little, a lot (of)
a few, few
seldom, sometimes
rarely, hardly
always, scarcely
some, any

Test frames:
+ _____ I have seen.
-  _____ have I seen.

lack, fail
omit, include, exclude
 

n

Disappearing negative:

Note the pronunciation of "t" in the following:
the pronunciation of the following:

• I want to go.
• I'm going to see that tomorrow.
• I need a winter coat.
• She lives in Atlanta.


What happens with "n't"? How can you tell if it is negative?
 

• I can do that.
• I can't do that.
• I really do like hamburgers.
• I really don't like hamburgers.
• I'll come with you.  I won't come with you.
 

n

Implied negatives:

Past tense forms as polite negatives.
 

• Are you coming with us?  I would, (but....)
• Could you give me some money? (Which answer is really yes?)
• Yes, I could, but...
• Yes, I can, but...
• If you came to visit, we'd go to Disney.
• If you come to visit, we'll go to Disney.
• Dr. Thompson, could I speak with you a second?
n

The problem of negative questions in teacher language:

How do you answer these?
 

• Don't you have a coat?
• Don't you think it would be better to do it this way?
 

n

Social implications of careful speech:

How do you react to someone speaking careful negatives?
 

• I do not want to go.
• I can not go with you.
• I will not go with you.

t