Datapoint Sango/Position of standard negation

Note that the negator does not immediately follow the verb but occurs at the end of the clause, and only a couple of particles can follow (see Samarin 1967a). However, the negator may be moved to the main verb in sentences being translated from French (like 326). Example 62 reveals the way speakers cope with having to place the negative marker at the end of a sentence with a dependent clause. Example 323 is a curious one with a negated predicate at the end. I haven't heard anything like this for a long time. Perhaps it was characteristic of the Gbaya area.

Values

After verb plus postverbal object

Example 59-54:
i ke na moyen titene, i faa doli ni ti gwe na ni, ake ape
i
1pl
ke
cop
na
prep
<moyen>
means
titene,
so.that
i
1pl
faa
cut
doli
elephant
ni
det
ti
of
gwe
go
na
prep
ni,
det
ake
sm.cop
ape
neg
We had no way to butcher the elephant and take it (the pieces of meat) away.
Example 59-56:
ala he pembe ti mbi ape o
ala
2pl
he
ridicule
pembe
teeth
ti
of
mbi
1sg
ape
neg
o
pcl
Please don't laugh at my teeth.

Source: Samarin 1967: 148

Example 59-62:
mbi lingbi titene, mbi diko ahunzi pepe
mbi
1sg
lingbi
able
titene,
so.that
mbi
1sg
diko
count
ahunzi
sm.be.finished
pepe
neg
I can't say that I have listed everything completely.
Example 59-321:
mbi de mbi mu koli ape
mbi
1sg
de
remain
mbi
1sg
mu
take
koli
husband
ape
neg
I haven't yet taken a husband. OR: I'm not married yet.
Example 59-322:
Mbi de mbi baa nyama ti sese agbo kamba (na) nduzu pepe.
mbi
1sg
de
remain
mbi
1sg
baa
see
nyama
animal
ti
of
sese
earth
a-gbo
pm-grab
kamba
rope
(na)
(prep)
nduzu
upwards
pepe
neg
I haven't yet seen a terrestrial animal seize a rope from above.

Source: Samarin 1967: 151

Example 59-323:
i ke na moyen' titene i faa dole ni ti gwe na ni, ake ape
i
1pl
yeke
cop
na
with
<moyen'>
means
titene
so.that
i
1pl
faa
kill
dole
elephant
ni
def
ti
to
gwe
go
na
with
ni,
def
a-ke
pm-cop
ape
neg
We didn't have any way of killing an elephant and taking it away.

Source: Samarin 1967: 151

Example 59-324:
ala hinga ape, atene, mbeni yi laa asara lo a lege
ala
2pl
hinga
know
ape,
neg
a-tene,
pm-say
mbeni
some
yi
thing
laa
top
a-sara
pm-do
lo
3sg
na
prep
lege
way
You didn't know (that she had been killed), thinking that something had happened to her on the way (home).
Example 59-325:
wala lo gwe mu azo ni ti gwe te, wala lo e mu saa na ala gi tonenyen', e hinga ape
wala
whether
lo
3sg
gwe
go
mu
take
a-zo
pl-person
ni
def
ti
to
gwe
go
te,
eat
wala
whether
lo
3sg
yeke
cop
mu
take
sara
do
na
prep
ala
3pl
gi
only
tongana
like
nyen',
what
e
1pl
hinga
know
ape
neg
We don't know if he took the people to eat them or if he was going to do whatever with them.
Example 59-326:
mbi hinga ape mo ga biri
mbi
1sg
hinga
know
ape
neg
mo
2sg
ga
come
biri
yesterday
I didn't know that you came yesterday.
Confidence:
Very certain