LL-L "Grammar" 2006.04.26 (07) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 26 April 2006 * Volume 07
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From: "Heiko Evermann" <heiko.evermann at gmx.de>
Subject: LL-L "Grammar" 2006.04.25 (07) [A/D/E]

> As for the double negative, it occurs in many Low Saxon dialects of
> Germany as well, but usually not double _nich_, _neyt_, etc. But the
> _nich_, _neyt_, etc., does not occur at the end but near the "partner"
> word; _Dat hev ik ny (nich) seyn_, _Dat hev ik keyn maal (nich) seyn_,
> _Dat het keyn eyn (nich) seyn_. My feeling is that the use of _nich_,
> _neyt_, etc., serves as an emphatic device; so, "I've never (ever) seen
> that," "No one/Not a single person has seen that."

> I wondered where it came from.  Several Afrikaners told me it was a French
> influence, from Heugenot refugees, though the people who told me that were
> from the Cape Province, where French influence seemed to be held in special
> regard.  They even speak with an ulvular "r" over there!
Several years ago I read an article about creole languages. The comparison
showed that they all hat double negation regardless of the substrate
language. So maybe the double negation is a basic pattern and the simple
negation is the "educated" style of more developed languages. The "educated"
language says that it is against logic, but maybe it isn't?
* I have not seen Jim.
* You have not seen Jim.
* Peter has not seen Jim
* Noone has not seen Jim.

Kind regards,

Heiko

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