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Article published In:
Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area
Vol. 43:1 (2020) ► pp.124–146

Expressing negative meaning in Liangmai

| Assam University
| Assam University

The paper presents an overview of negative expression in Liangmai, an under-described Tibeto-Burman language, primarily spoken in the Northeast Indian states of Manipur and Nagaland. There are two ways of negative formation in the language: (i) by suffixing negative markers to the main verb, and (ii) by the use of negative particles. The main negative suffixes in Liangmai are -mak, mainly used with realis constructions; -lak, used mainly with irrealis constructions; and -tu/-du with imperative, giving a prohibitive meaning. Negative particles used in the language include ha, which is a negative existential and raó, used to express ‘undesirability’. Additionally, a negative interjection hái is used frequently in the language as a negative answer to a question or to contradict a statement perceived to be incorrect. Negative polarity items are form by suffixing -dí to nominal stems and numerals. The present paper offers a descriptive account of negation in Liangmai, providing an overview of various constructions, namely, declarative, interrogative, imperative, relative and hortative, with negative polarity in the language.

Keywords: Liangmai, Tibeto-Burman, negation, declarative, imperative, relative
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Liangmai word classes
  • 3.Mood and negation in Liangmai
  • 4.Liangmai negative markers
  • 5.Clausal negation: -mak and -lak
    • 5.1Declarative clauses
    • 5.2Interrogative clauses
      • 5.2.1Yes-no question
      • 5.2.2Wh- question
    • 5.3Relative clauses
    • 5.4Hortative clauses
    • 5.5Imperative clauses
  • 6.Prohibitive -tu~-du
    • 6.1Inhibitive -niù
  • 7.Other negative particles
    • 7.1Negative existential copula ha
    • 7.2Negative interjection há
    • 7.3Particle raó
  • 8.Negation in conditional statements: Unless…not
  • 9.Negative polarity item
  • 10.Double negation
    • 10.1Declarative clauses: -mak and -mak
    • 10.2Declarative clauses: -lak and -mak
    • 10.3Imperative clausse: -mak and -tu
  • 11.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
Published online: 28 August 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ltba.19008.dai
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