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Introduction published In: Postverbal negation
Edited by Olga Krasnoukhova, Johan van der Auwera and Mily Crevels
[Studies in Language 45:3] 2021
► pp. 499–519

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Introduction

Postverbal negation

Typology, diachrony, areality

 | Leiden University | University of Antwerp
 | University of Antwerp
 | Leiden University
Published online: 5 November 2021
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/sl.00020.int
Abstract
The paper sketches the state of affairs of our understanding of postverbal negation. It departs from the typological finding that there is a cross-linguistic preference for a negator to precede the verb. Nevertheless, a sizable proportion of the world’s languages adhere to a pattern with a negator following the verb, and such negators are typically morphologically bound. The existence of this pattern, unfavorable from a functional perspective, calls for a diachronic explanation. The paper takes stock of diachronic processes that can lead to postverbal negation, in general, and suffixal negation, in particular. Furthermore, a language may acquire a pattern with postverbal negation through language contact, and this is yet another perspective that the paper addresses. Finally, we introduce the contributions to this volume, highlighting the new insights.
Article outline
  • 1.Setting the scene: Typological considerations
  • 2.Growing postverbal negators: Diachronic paths
  • 3.From syntactic to morphological negation?
  • 4.Acquiring postverbal negation through language contact
  • 5.The present volume: New insights
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
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