Arabic-L:LING:Troublesome negation in Arabic dialect data

[Dilworth Parkinson]

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Arabic-L: Fri 19 Dec 2008
Moderator: Dilworth Parkinson <dilworth_parkinson at byu.edu>
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1) Subject:Troublesome negation in Arabic dialect data

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1)
Date: 19 Dec 2008
From: Andrew Freeman <andyf at umich.edu>
Subject:Troublesome negation in Arabic dialect data

Greetings,
I am looking at the following sample text, which I think is  
representative of Baghdadi speech.
I am curious about the “laa” that occurs between l-muxarribiin and  
yijuun.  If I try to translate it as “not” it does not seem to work  
on a couple of counts.
Ø  For one thing the dialect morpho-syntax for negation dictates the  
use of “maa.”
Ø  For another it is not reasonable for the speaker to be afraid of  
something bad *not* happening.

Here is the text in interlinear gloss style.
إحنا أولاً خائفين من هذولا المخربين لا  
يجون و يخربون المحطة
‘iHna ‘awwalan xaa’ifiin min hadhoola l-muxarribiin laa yijuun w  
yxarribuun il-maHaTTa

‘iHna                      ‘awwalan                              
xaa’if-iin              min                         
hadhoola             l-muxarrib-iiniin                 
laa                                 y-ij- 
uun                                w-y-xarrib-uun                 il- 
maHaTTa

We                         first-acc                                 
fearing-3Mpl      from                      those                     
def-vandal-3mpl              neg-part        3M-come- 
Mpl                   and-3M-wreck-MPL       def-station

In the first place we are afraid of the vandals lest they come and  
wreck the station.

1)      Is my translation reasonable?
2)      How does this use of laa work?
a.       Is it a feature of xaaf, yxaaf that it subcategorizes for a  
verb preceded by laa when the thing being feared is an action?
                                                                 
i.      ‘aani xaa’if min ‘ustaadhi laa yiETiini Ealaama sayyi’a
                                                              ii.       
آني خائف من أستاذي لا يعطيني علامة سيئة
b.      Or is it a more generic use which in these semi-hypothetical  
cases means “lest?”
                                                                 
i.      Huwa HaafiDH l-‘awraaq biSuura Hadhira laa yiDHAyyiEha
3)      Is my analysis anywhere near correct?
4)      Does anybody know if other dialects use “laa” or something  
in this way?

Thank you,
Andy

Andy Freeman
(206)225-0386

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End of Arabic-L:  19 Dec 2008