Negation

Definition

The basic negative word [in Halkomelem] is ʔə́wə and can be interpreted as ‘not’ when used as the most common negator of a predicate, ‘no’ when used in an interjection or answer context and ‘refuse’. In addition, two other negative words are also used to negate predicates: xʷəw̓é ‘not yet’ and ʔə́wəteʔ ‘none, absent’. An affirmative predicate is most commonly negated by embedding it in a matrix clause where the head is ʔə́wə. (Suttles, 2003, pp. 151-152)

In Squamish, the principal means of negation involves an irrealis complementizer introducing a clause inflected for a conjunctive subject. (Davis, 2005, p. 7) Another negation pattern in Squamish is monoclausal. The negative element appears as a pre-predicative particle, sometimes followed by an additional irrealis particle. There is no determiner/complementizer introducing the negated predicate. (Davis, 2005, p. 7)

Examples

ʔə́wə čxʷ   ném̓-əxʷnot           you               go-you ‘You do/will not go.’