Chlouvānem/Syntax: Difference between revisions

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==Negatives==
==Negatives==
Chlouvānem negates sentences by using the circumfix ''gu(n) ... ša'' on the verb:
Chlouvānem negates sentences by using the circumfix ''gu(n) ... ša'' on the verb:
: ''nanāt lēn mbinē'' "I like it" → ''nanāt lēn gu mbinē ša'' "I do not like it".
{{Gloss
: ''martayinām dvārmu nadāmek'' "Martayinām walked into the room" → ''martayinām dvārmu gu nadāmek ša'' "Martayinām didn't walk into the room".
| phrase = nanāt lēn gu mbinē ša.
: ''ejulā ū'' "I am here" → ''ejulā gun ū ša'' "I am not here".
| gloss = that.<small>DIST-EXESS</small>. <small>1SG.LOC</small>. <small>NEG</small>=be_liked-<small>EXP-IND.PRES.3SG.EXTERIOR.PATIENT=NEG</small>.
| translation = I don't like it.
}}
{{Gloss
| phrase = martayinām dvārmu gu nadāmek ša.
| gloss = Martayinām.<small>DIR</small>. room-<small>ACC.SG</small>. <small>NEG</small>=walk_into.<small>PAST.MONODIR-EXP-IND.3SG.EXTERIOR.PATIENT=NEG</small>.
| translation = Martayinām didn't walk into the room.
}}
{{Gloss
| phrase = ejulā gun ū ša
| gloss = here. <small>NEG</small>=be.<small>EXP.IND.PRES.1SG.EXTERIOR.PATIENT=NEG</small>.
| translation = I'm not here.
}}


The ''ša'' part of the circumfix is omitted if the verb is attributive:
The ''ša'' part of the circumfix is omitted if the verb is attributive:
: ''ṣveya gun ujunya ša'' "the wall hasn't been painted" → ''gun ujunya ṣveya'' "the wall that hasn't been painted"
{{Gloss
: ''alūs gu kāmilire ša'' "the bottle isn't blue" → ''gu kāmilire alūs'' "the bottle that isn't blue"
| phrase = ṣveya gun ujunya ša.
| gloss = wall.<small>DIR.SG</small> <small>NEG</small>=paint-<small>EXP-IND.PERF-3.EXTERIOR.PATIENT=NEG</small>.
| translation = The wall hasn't been painted.
}}
{{Gloss
| phrase = gun ujunya ṣveya
| gloss =  <small>NEG</small>=paint-<small>EXP-IND.PERF-3.EXTERIOR.PATIENT</small>. wall.<small>DIR.SG</small>
| translation = the wall that hasn't been painted
}}
{{Gloss
| phrase = gu kāmilire alūs
| gloss =  <small>NEG</small>=be_blue-<small>EXP-INTERIOR-IND.PRES.3SG.COMMON</small>. bottle.<small>DIR.SG</small>
| translation = the bottle that isn't blue
}}


Double negatives are not proper in Chlouvānem — negating a sentence with a negative correlative makes it affirmative:
Double negatives are not proper in Chlouvānem — negating a sentence with a negative correlative makes it affirmative:
: ''guvitu mešute'' "I see no one"
{{Gloss
: ''lævitu gu mešute ša'' "I don't see anyone"
| phrase = guvitu mešute.
: ''guvitu gu mešute ša'' "I don't see no one" → "I see someone"
| gloss =  no_one-<small>ACC</small>. see-<small>EXP-IND.PRES.1SG.EXTERIOR-AGENT</small>.
| translation = I see no one.
}}
{{Gloss
| phrase = grāmvitu gu mešute ša.
| gloss =  anyone-<small>ACC</small>. <small>NEG</small>=see-<small>EXP-IND.PRES.1SG.EXTERIOR-AGENT=NEG</small>.
| translation = I don't see anyone.
}}
{{Gloss
| phrase = guvitu gu mešute ša.
| gloss =  no_one-<small>ACC</small>. <small>NEG</small>=see-<small>EXP-IND.PRES.1SG.EXTERIOR-AGENT=NEG</small>.
| translation = *I don't see no one → I see someone.
}}
Such a sentence using a double negation is grammatical, however, it is quite marked: a better translation could be "it is definitely not true that I see no one."


Note that ''ša'' is pronounced as if it were written *ṣa, thus {{IPA|[ʂä]}}, if the verb ends with ''-k'', as in most 3SG past tense forms.
Note that ''ša'' is pronounced as if it were written *ṣa, thus {{IPA|[ʂä]}}, if the verb ends with ''-k'', as in most 3SG past tense forms.
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