Negation with a negative verb in Hoyloy
By English grammar the particle 'not' following an auxilliary verb serves for indication of a negative sentence. In Hoyloy a negative verb is used instead. This contrastive feature may be soundly demonstrated by the example of 'we may not work today'.
The written form of this example in English stands for either of the two meanings which are represented in Hoyloy as:
1a) [lan" qin-na=(+)Rit=(+/-) b(/o),e_sai=(+)dtit=/tzo(/e)"/kaNg-k(/w)e']
we today may not do work
1b) [lan" qin-na=(+)Rit=(+/-) e_sai=(+)dtit=/mai"/tzo(/e)"/kaNg-k(/w)e']
we today may don't do work
The negation in sentence 1a) which denies 'our option to work today' is indicated by the negative verb [b(/o),e_sai"|dtit'] lit. 'can not be made to go', whereas by sentence 1b) people learn that 'we have the option of not working today' because of the verb [e_sai"|dtit'] lit. 'can be made to go'.
A negative verb can be formed in Hoyloy by prefixing to the base verb with one of the the negative morphemes, which are also negative verbs by themselves elsewhere. The verbs [bo+] for indication of nothing in existence, for instance, may be prefixed to the verb [e_sai"|dit'] to produce the negative verb [b(/o),e_sai"|dit'].
Negation with [bo+]
Where nothing remains or has happened the situation is expressed with the verb [bo+] which is the opposite of [u-] for indication of something left or happened. This negative verb may be used by itself or prepositioned in the formation of a verb chain. When used to form a verb chain this negative verb has the similar function as 'not' in Englsih. Examples:
2) [Gloria tzit=ma" bo-(_)/dtit_de=\tzyaQ_/tau-(_)lO]
now none (m)* eat job
'Gloria is not eating/living with a job now';
* progressive aspect marker.
3) [Bob e-bpO= bo-(_)/dti_\bpan_qONg-siK-]
afternoon none in office
'Bob won't be in the office this afternoon';
4) [gwa" bo_/tzim-tzOK=/tzit=haNg_/dtai_tzi']
I none (*) this matter
'I didn't pay much attention to this matter';
* lit. to measure carefully;
5) [nNg_hONg-bin- lONg=(+)\bo_gwan_i"/lyONg_bpO-]
(the)two sides all not willing yield step
'both sides will not/neither side will give in'.
Negation with [b(/o),e-]
The negative verb [b(/o),e-], derived from [bo+] and [e-] (can) through contraction, means 'can not', 'may not', or 'will not'. Except for use in an elliptical clause, this negative verb is always followed by another verb or verb chain. Examples:
6) [li" na_\ bo-(_)/qa,-\qO_tzya~+ i- dtyoQ_\b(/o),e_/dtaQ"i(E)Ng']
you if don't *(1) entreat he/she *(2) would not consent
'if you don't entreat him/her he/she won't consent.
*(1) Contraction of the goal marker [qa\-] and the third singular
pronoun [i-], meaning 'with him/her'.
*(2) Adverb in clitic form meaning 'rightfully/in due course', derived
through grammaticalization of the word [dtyoQ=(+/-)] (right) and used
for rhetorical connection between the main clause and the 'if' clause.
7) [tsya=(-) bo_/len-(+)a" b(o),e_/tzau"]
cars no wheels can't run
'cars can not run without wheels';
8) [gwa" kwa~' qin-na=(+)Rit=(+/-) b(/o),e_/loQ_hO-]
I see* today will not rain
'I would say that it won't rain today'.
* This word here is meant for 'to guess'.
Negation with [m-]
The negative verb [m-] indicating unwillingness is the opposite of [b(/w)eQ-] indicating willingness. But there are derivative usages that go beyond the meaning of unwillingness. Except for use in an elliptical clause, this negative verb is always followed by another verb or verb chain. Examples:
9) [bit-bpo+ m_si_/tzyau=(+)a" m- si_/sya-mi"]
bats aren't birds *(1) are what
'bats aren't birds and so what are they?';
*(1) For 'if not, then'. It may be replaced by [bo+] in this sentence.
10) [b(/p)at=/kwa~"qi~"/tzi=e-(_)/laNg+ m_dtu=(+)\ gwa" m_b(/p)at-|i']
*(1) see this person but I don't know him
'I saw this person before but I don't know him';
*(1) This morpheme [b(/p)at-] with the orignal meaning 'to recognize/have
the experience of' is used here for indication of a past experience.
11) [dtyoQ_\m_taNg-/tzejQ"twaQ- tzyaQ"\u_taNg-/tsun=(-)]
must do not waste then can afford to save
'you can accumulate only if you don't waste'.
Negation with [m_ben"]/[ben"]
This negative verb either takes an object which is not needed or functions in a similar way to 'need not' in English. Examples:
12) [tsam-qwan-/tzit=e-/dten=(+)lam" m_ben=(+)/Rip_dtyu~-(_)qwan']
visit this show need no ticket
'visiting this show requires no ticket';
13) [syo=(+)kwa=(+)/dtai_tzi' m_ben=(+)/hwan-(_)lo=(+)/syu(O)~tz(/w)e-]
littl thing need not worry too much
'you need not worry too much about a little problem'.
Negation with [mai'] or [tai']
These two negative verbs are interchangeable and commonly used to function in similar way to the imperative 'don't' or 'let's not' in English. Examples:
14) [tzit=kwan=(+)/we- i=(+)qi(E)Ng- tsau"sNg=|lO' mai"/qo"\qONg"|a']
such kind words already stale don't again say
'words like these had gone stale; don't say them again';
15) [b{/w}eQ- dtyoQ_\kaQ"\qin"|de' m- dtyoQ_\tai"/ki']
want to then quicker if not then don't go
'if you want to go, be quick; if you don't, forget it';
16) [Mary dti_de"/qe=(+)sen=(-)//lan" mai"/tsap-|i']
(m)* bluff let's don't attend to her
'Mary is just bluffing; let's leave her alone'.
* progressive aspect marker.
[bo+] versus [m-]
In some negative verbs [bo+] can replaced by [m-]; for example, [m_ai'] (won't like) and [m_gwan_i'] (be unwilling) are interchangeable with [bo_ai'] and [bo-(_)gwan_i'] respectively. But for a negative verb where [bo+] indicates no happening of an event it can not be replaced by [m-]. Generally speaking, what involves personal experience is negated with [m-], such as [m_/tzai-ya~"] (don't know), and what involves personal capacity is negated with [b(/o),e-], such as [b(/o),e_/qi'|dtit'] (can't remember). While the positive for [m-] is [b(/w)eQ-] as mentioned earlier, a negative verb formed with [m-] doesn't usually have a positive counterpart formed with [b(/w)eQ-], whereas a negative verb formed with [bo+] usually has a positive counterpart formed with [u-]. The difference is demonstrated with [m_taNg=] and [bo_taNg-] in the following sentences.
17) [dtyoQ_\ai"/u-|dtam'bpo'a' tzyaQ"\taNg-/ham_\laNg' bpi=(+)pi(E)Ng-]
should have a little then can afford with someone to compete
'you must be sufficiently resourced to be in competition with others'
18) [qyo"/i- m_taNg=//i= pien-pien-a=(+)/b(/w)eQ-]
ask him should not he adamantly want to
'he was advised not to (but) adamantly wanted to';
19) [bo_taNg- tzin-kwi~"hwaQ=(+/-) tzONg=(+)si-\ u_taNg-/tzyaQ=(+/-)#
can't afford true comfort all the same can afford to eat
u_taNg-/dtwa']
can afford to stay
'one can't afford a comfortable life and yet one can afford to eat
and to have somewhere to stay'.
Either [bo+] or [m-] may be used as a conjunction between two clauses, such as illustrated in sentence 9). The difference in use between them is that [m-], which means literally 'if what proposed is denied then', usually suggests disapproval on the part of the speaker, whereas [bo+], which means literally 'if there is nothing else', indicates the speaker's intention to make a proposal perhaps contrary to an earlier plan. Examples:
20) [bpNg- tzj=(+)/ho"|a' bo+ lan" mai"/tsut"ki"/gwa_kau" tzyaQ=(+/-)]
'some rice food has been cooked; let's say we don't go out to eat';
21) [b(/w)eQ- dtyoQ_\teQ=(+/-)//m- dtyoQ_\tai']
'take it or leave it'.
The zero-quantity construction
The Hoyloy equivalent for the English 'no/not any' is built inside the negative verb [bo+] which stands for such combinations as 'there is no/not any' and 'have no/not any' where the word 'any' is subtituted by the zero-quantity construction with a numerative prefixed with [bpwa~'] (half). The word 'nobody/not anybody' is represented in Hoyloy by [bo_laNg\+] or [bo_/bpwa~"laNg\+]. Examples:
22) [bpaNg-(_)qi(E)Ng-a=(+)lai- bo_/qa-ku-]
'there is no furniture inside the room';
22a) [bpaNg-(_)qi(E)Ng-a+(+)lai- bo_/bpwa~"haNg_/qa-ku-]
'there is not any furniture inside the room';
23) [Richard si(E)Ng-ku-dti(E)Ng" bo-(_)/tzi~+]
'Richard has no money with him';
23a)[Richard si(E)Ng-ku-dti(E)Ng" bo_/bpwa~"sen=(+)/tzi~+]
'Richard has not any money with him';
24) [bo_/laNg'(-)\tzai-ya~"/Harry dti_si+ e_/dto"dtNg"|lai']
'nobody knows when Harry will come back'.
Negative adverbs for 'not yet' and 'seldom'
The English 'not yet' in Hoyloy is [ya=(+)b(/w)e-]* or [b(/w)e_tzi(E)Ng\+]. The former is much more frequently found in use whereas the latter often appears in the phrase [b(/w)e_tzi(E)Ng-(_)b(/w)e-] or [b(/w)e_tzi(E)Ng-(_)bpat"b(/w)e-] similar in meaning to 'prematurely' or 'unduly', as illustrated in the following sentences.
25) [gwa" qyo"si._ b(/w)e_hu'|a'//qa-tzai' h(/w)e=(+)tsya=(-) ya+b(/w)e_/lai+]
I thought too late already luckily train not yet come
'I thought I would miss (it) but luckily the train has not arrived yet'
26) [b(/w)e_tzi(E)Ng-(_)\kwa~"/dtyoQ_\laNg+ si(E)Ng-/tya~-/dtyoQ_\sya~=]
not yet seen person afore heard sound
'someone yet to show up was heard beforehand'
27) [ya=(+)b(/w)e_/qau"hun=(-) e-(_)\q(/w)e=(+)tzi" m_taNg-/#
not yet ripened *(m) fruit should not
b(/w)e_tzi(E)Ng_b(/w)e- dtyoQ_\ban"|loQ'lai']
prematurely already pluck down
'it is not good to pluck the fruit off the tree before they ripen';
*(m) modifier marker.
*While sometimes you hear some people use the simplified form of [b(/w)e-] for [ya=(+)b(/w)e-], you can avoid unnecessary ambiguity by keeping [ya=(+)b(/w)e-] for regular use, because [b(/w)e-] for 'not yet' and [b(/o),e-] for 'can not' are subject to loss of distinction among speakers of different accents.
The word 'seldom' is [han"|dtit'] in Hoyloy as illustrated in the following sentence.
28) [tzit=dtai-(_)/qe-ki' han=(+)dtit=/qO"tzyONg=]
this machine seldom malfunctions
'this machine seldom fails to work'.
Note that some other modifiers negative in meaning, such as 'little' and 'hardly', do not have counterparts in Hoyloy for direct translation and have to be reworded for similar meanings, such as [bo_R(g)wa_tz(/w)e-] (not much) or [qyONg_b(/w)eQ"bo+] (almost none) for 'little'.
Nothing equivalent to 'no' for a short answer
In making a negative answer to a yes-no question, a negative verb responsive to the question serves for a short answer similar to the negation with an auxiliary verb in English. But in Hoyloy there is nothing equivalent to the English word 'no' for a short answer, though occassionally some native Hoyloy speakers use it for a short negative answer in code switch.
-- For audio play of Hoyloy sentences 1) through 28), click here. --
-- Options for pronunciation guidance:syllabic tone patterns | vowels | consonants | practical symbols
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