Negation in Yemeni Arabic

Abstract

Negation in Yemeni Arabic, based on the dialect of Ṣanʿāʾ, includes negating perfect and imperfect forms of the verb by the particle /mā/ in pre-verbal position and the verb normally takes the suffix /š/. /mā/ is also used in two verbal constructions joined by /wa/ ‘and’. Such constructions are negated by /mā … wa-mā …/ or /lā .. . wa-lā …/. In constructions with /illā/ ‘except’ /mā/ is used to negate the verb, and such constructions have the meaning of ‘nothing’ or ‘nobody … except’ or ‘not … anything or anybody except.’ /mā/ also negates pseudo verbs: there is/are, ‘to have’, etc. /lā/ followed by the imperfect form of the verb negates an imperative. Nouns, pronouns, adjectives, particles, and prepositional phrases are negated by /miš/, /lā … wa-lā …/ or /mā … wa-lā/ is used with the meaning of ‘neither … nor’. The article contains a lot of illustrative sentences, and some proverbial phrases.