Some syntactic functions of the morpheme nie Cover Image

Niektóre funkcje składniowe morfemu nie
Some syntactic functions of the morpheme nie

Author(s): Marian Bugajski
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Morphology, Syntax, Western Slavic Languages
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego

Summary/Abstract: The article deals with a problem which is related both to morphology and syntax. Particular attention has been drawn to the relations of the morpheme nie to the nominal predicate. Here we distinguish negative sentences which can be transformed to positive utterances by eliminating the negation factor and we point to possible positive structures which can be transformed to negative by negating the predicate. From the syntactic point of view the morpheme nie is a shifting unit i.e. it can be connected with either a predicative or a copula. This flexibility results from the possibility of joining the morpheme with predicative developing words, particularly with the adverbial bardzo. We have also described sentences which can be transformed to affirmative under the condition of certain lexical changes and there have been distinguished utterances with no positive equivalent as they can be expressed only by negated structures. Some structures are impossible to transform because of their idiomatic character.

  • Issue Year: 1981
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 17-29
  • Page Count: 13
  • Language: Polish