Diagnosing negation in Polynesian

Middleton, John (2025) Diagnosing negation in Polynesian. Syntactic Theory and Research, 1 (1). NA. ISSN 3049-8228

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Abstract

Polynesian languages exhibit the rare phenomenon of predicate negation, in which a negative word is a matrix predicate that selects a positive declarative clause as its complement. However, there are claims that there is particle negation in many Polynesian languages in addition to, or instead of, predicate negation. Evidence to support particle negation is lacking; usually the absence of any data supporting predicate negation is taken to indicate particle negation. This article rejects this methodology as inconclusive and instead presents a novel diagnostic that clearly illuminates predicate negation or systematically rules it out. Apparent raising, the process by which an argument in a subordinate clause may raise to a matrix clause, serves this purpose in two Polynesian languages, Tokelauan and Samoan. It is proposed that this diagnostic may be used across the Polynesian language family, allowing us to better establish the properties of predicate and non-predicate negation.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	negation; predicate negation; Polynesian; apparent raising; Tokelauan; Samoan
Subjects:	P Language and Literature > PL Languages and literatures of Eastern Asia, Africa, Oceania
Divisions:	School of Pacific Arts, Communication and Education (SPACE)
Depositing User:	John Middleton
Date Deposited:	13 Jan 2026 00:01
Last Modified:	13 Jan 2026 00:01
URI:	https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/15230

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