A Student's Introduction to English Grammar

[10] MARKING BY INFLECTION

a. * It is vital [that we ben 't disturbed].

11 a. * It is vital [that he don't delay].

§3.2 Non-verbal clausal negation^153

MARKING BY NOT

b. It is vital [that we not be disturbed].

b. It is vital [that he not delay].

Notice that where marking by not is the only option, the not normally comes before
the verb rather than after it.
In constructions that permit both kinds of verbal negation, the difference between
them is primarily one of style. Marking by not is characteristic of more formal style
than inflectional negation.

3.2 Non-verbal clausal negation

Non-verbal clausal negation is marked either by not modifying a
constituent other than a verb, or else by various negative words that are not used for
verbal negation: nothing, never,f ew, etc.

Not as a marker of non-verbal negation

Not can modify a considerable range of non-verbal elements, but by no means all.
In a comprehensive grammar we would need to detail all the possibilities, but in this
short introduction we will merely provide a sample, including some that illustrate
the limitations on the use of not as a modifier.
In the following examples, single underlining highlights not and double under­
lining marks the element that it modifies - admissibly in the [a] examples, inadmis­
sibly in the [b] examples:

[ 11 ] ADMISSIBLE

a. Not everybody agrees with you.

11 a. Not all her friends supported her.

III a. Not even To m liked it.

INADMISSIBLE

b. *Not somebody agrees with you.

b. *Not each of her friends supported her.

b. *Not To m liked it.

Other markers of non-verbal negation

We confine our attention here to items that can mark clausal negation. This excludes
the affixes un', non', in', etc., which - as illustrated in [5] above - mark subclausal
negation. There are two groups to consider: absolute negators and approximate
negators.

(a) Absolute negators

These are listed in [12], with some examples of clausal negation given in [13]:

[12] no, none, nobody, no one, nothing, nowhere I

ii neither, nor, never

[13] a. Nobody objected to her plan.

1I a. We fo und no mistakes.

b. Neither Kim nor Pat has arrived.

b. He never apologises.

I For infonnal AmE, no place (synonymous with nowhere) can be added to this list.