What does the linear position of negative concord items tell us about their properties?
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Alexander Letuchiy
Abstract
The paper deals with the linear properties of Russian negative concord items. I show that their linear position is not identical either to the position of noun phrases or to that of anaphoric pronouns. The positioning of negative concord items is explicable by two tendencies: first, they tend to be situated next to the licensing negation; second, in the postposition they tend to be emphasized - but the emphasis is mainly possible if the licensing negation and the NCIs are elements of the same clause. This results in the fact that the Russian negative concord items are mainly located before the licensing negation. In many cases, their position coincides with the position of anaphoric pronouns, but the explanation of this positioning is different: anaphoric pronouns are short and have reduced autonomy, while NCIs tend to be situated together with the negative marker.
Abstract
The paper deals with the linear properties of Russian negative concord items. I show that their linear position is not identical either to the position of noun phrases or to that of anaphoric pronouns. The positioning of negative concord items is explicable by two tendencies: first, they tend to be situated next to the licensing negation; second, in the postposition they tend to be emphasized - but the emphasis is mainly possible if the licensing negation and the NCIs are elements of the same clause. This results in the fact that the Russian negative concord items are mainly located before the licensing negation. In many cases, their position coincides with the position of anaphoric pronouns, but the explanation of this positioning is different: anaphoric pronouns are short and have reduced autonomy, while NCIs tend to be situated together with the negative marker.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Introduction 1
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Section 1: General theoretical issues
- Negative concord: the first 133 years 9
- Negindefinites and negative concord: concepts, terms and analyses 53
- Negative concord and TAM: a new perspective 77
- Non-strict negative concord: a correlate of focus movement? 107
- The universal force of (strict) negative concord 123
- N-words: in defence of wide scope. A view from Romanian 149
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Section 2: Perspectives on variation
- Negative concord in Medieval Greek: lexical asymmetry and the role of correlative negation 175
- What does the linear position of negative concord items tell us about their properties? 207
- Grammar or error? Non-compositional (expletive/paratactic) negation in Dutch sentences with zonder ‘without’ 239
- Two negatives in Tyneside English questions: negative concord or double negation? 269
- Less formal and more rebellious — An experiment on the social meaning of negative concord in American English 303
- Subject index 333
- Language index 337
- Name index 341
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Introduction 1
-
Section 1: General theoretical issues
- Negative concord: the first 133 years 9
- Negindefinites and negative concord: concepts, terms and analyses 53
- Negative concord and TAM: a new perspective 77
- Non-strict negative concord: a correlate of focus movement? 107
- The universal force of (strict) negative concord 123
- N-words: in defence of wide scope. A view from Romanian 149
-
Section 2: Perspectives on variation
- Negative concord in Medieval Greek: lexical asymmetry and the role of correlative negation 175
- What does the linear position of negative concord items tell us about their properties? 207
- Grammar or error? Non-compositional (expletive/paratactic) negation in Dutch sentences with zonder ‘without’ 239
- Two negatives in Tyneside English questions: negative concord or double negation? 269
- Less formal and more rebellious — An experiment on the social meaning of negative concord in American English 303
- Subject index 333
- Language index 337
- Name index 341
