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Latonic/Negation

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Negation of an affirmative sentence

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The adverb ne

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The negation is formed with the adverb ne before the verb, usually with another adverb specifying the negation.
Me ne va non a domu. I'm not going home.
Le ne vi fí nullu. There's nothing here.

Adverbs of the negation

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  • ne ... nò (non) - not
  • ne ... nunc (nunque) - not (stronger: sometimes like never)
  • ne ... nunqua - never
  • ne ... nullu - nothing
  • ne ... nullo/-a - noone
  • ne ... nullo/-a/-u (+ noun) - no (noun)
  • ne ... né - nothing (usually before que + clause, otherwise nullu is preferred)
  • ne ... néuno - nobody, none
  • ne ... quonéde, quoné - nowhere
  • ne ... quanéde, quané - / (something like "no way, impossibly, in no way"

Additionally, plus may be added in the sense of "anymore":
Me ne va plus. I'm not going anymore. Me ne va nunqua/nunque plus. I'm never going again. Le ne va quonéde plus. It isn't going anywhere anymore.

Nolle

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Nò velle in affarmative sentences and questions is always replaced by nolle. Nolle may have the adverb ne, but this is often omitted because using the verb in itself indicates a negation.
Me (ne) nollo facere istu. I don't want to do this.
In other negations from velle, ne and the other adverb is used, along with either velle or nolle:
Me ne vollo/nollo nunqua plus facere istu! I don't ever wat to do that again!

Negation of an imperative

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Imperatives are negated in various ways, depending on the nature of the sentence:

  • In normal spoken and written language for a request or advice: nolle + infinitive:
    • Nole me nocere quando me lavoro. (Please don't disturb me while I'm working.)
    • Nolete fabelare. (Please don't talk.)
  • In spoken language with : nò/non + infinitive:
    • Nò facere istu. (Please don't do that.)
  • In spoken and written language for a direct command or request: nò/non + imperative:
    • Nò face istu (Don't do that.)
    • Non ite a ví! (Don't go there!)
  • In written language and formal spoken language for an advice, command or general rule: nò + gerundive:
    • Nò tranversandu per la luce rubea! (You mustn't cross the red light!)
    • Nò recontanda ista storia! (You shouldn't pass on this story!)
  • With a more specific adverb: adverb + gerundive:
    • Nunqua sortendo/-a me! (Don't ever leave me!)
    • Nunque plus facendu istu! (Don't ever do that again!)
    • Quonéde iendu! (Don't go anywhere!)

Negation of a question

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In a question, the adverb non is never used. IN all other cases, the same rules as in the affirmative apply.
Te ne vel ire a lí? Don't you feel like going there? (or: Te (ne) nol ... ?)
Vo ne posseste nullu d'âllo? Isn't there anything else you can do?