[Lingtyp] Expletive derivational negation

[tangzhengda]

Dear Joe,

    My personal understanding is a little different. The case of In-valuable and 'no-price' may not be categorized as including expletive negtors, since the prefix in- here does contribute as a negator. What prefix in- negates is the qualitative or categorical reading of 'valuable' (of material or monetary value; having value for use or exchange; having the quality of being measured by monetary value, etc.); In-valuable does not have the polarity reading of 'valuable' (i.e. having significant value), which is negated by -less suffix (valueless).  

      Thus, in-valuable means ''NOT having the monetarily valued quality”， which pragmatically taken to mean 'highly valuable' (polarity reading). 

      Same holds true for the Chinese 无价。










Jeremy Tang



Institute of Linguistics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences,
No.5 Jianguomennei Dajie, Beijing, China; 100732




At 2024-08-16 08:22:03, "Pun Ho Lui via Lingtyp" <lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org> wrote:

Dear linguists,


I am recently interested in lexical items that consist of a derivational negative affix which may not contribute a negative meaning (i.e. being expletive). 


For instance, in-valuable ~ valuable. Other possible examples would be 無價 ‘invaluable [lit. NEG value’ in Mandarin, and sewashi-nai ‘restless’ ~ sewashii ‘busy’ in Japanese.


I have looked into a number of (decent) grammar descriptions but have no luck.


I am wondering if you know of any language with similar items.


Thank you.


Warmest,
Pun Ho Lui Joe
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