Negation Patterns in West African Languages and Beyond

Typological Studies in Language #87

by Norbert Cyffer (Editor), Erwin Ebermann (Editor), Georg Ziegelmeyer (Editor)

This volume deals with issues on negation patterns in languages of West Africa and the adjacent north and east. The first aim is to provide data on various aspects of negation in African languages. Although the topics addressed here reflect a great diversity of negation patterns, the following typological features have been identified to be prominent in our conflict or even incompatibility between negation and focus, use of other indirect means of negating non-indicative mood (covered under the term ‘Prohibitive’), different negation patterns in different Tense-Aspect-Moods (e.g. Imperfective vs. Perfective), lack of negative indefinites, and disjunctive negative marking (often referred to as ‘double negation’). The articles presented here show that areal factors have played a significant role in the development of negation strategies in the languages of West Africa and beyond. On the other hand genetic factors seem to be less prominent.

368 pages, Hardcover

First published August 27, 2009

About the author

Norbert Cyffer was a German-Austrian linguist and Professor Emeritus of African Studies at the University of Vienna. Cyffer was primarily interested in African languages and linguistics, particularly the Saharan languages of the Sahelian region. His research areas include morphology, syntax, language contact, sociolinguistics, typology, and applied linguistics.