Variation in negation in Seto

Bibliographic Data

ID20381471
AuthorsLiina Lindström (0000-0003-1458-6682, University of Tartu), Maarja-Liisa Pilvik (0000-0001-9611-0391, University of Tartu), Helen Plado (0000-0001-8764-3954, University of Tartu)
Year2021
Volume45
Issue3
Pages557-597
Publication date2021-11-05
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueStudies in Language (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0378-4177 • E-ISSN: 1569-9978
PublisherJohn Benjamins Publishing Company (PUBLISHER • NL)
DOI10.1075/sl.19063.lin
OpenAlexW3193851016
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited38

Seto is an exceptional language in the Uralic family due to its systematic use of postverbal negation, although preverbal and double negation marking are also used. Postverbal negation is still the most frequent and unmarked pattern occurring in about 74% of negative clauses in Seto. This paper analyzes variation between pre- and postverbal negation in East Seto (spoken in present-day Russia), based on data gathered during fieldwork trips in 2010–2013. By applying quantitative methods that are used in variationist studies (regression modelling, conditional inference trees, and random forests), we determine the variables affecting the choice between pre- and postverbal negation. Marked preverbal negation occurs more likely with first and third person, cognition verbs, and present tense, all of which are often used in fixed expressions like I don’t know . We also found a strong structural persistence effect in the data and remarkable differences between individual speakers

Geography · Linguistics · Negation · Physics · Linguistics and Cultural Studies · Linguistics and language evolution · Mathematics · Philosophy · Psychology · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation