Negation (linguistics)

No is the negative answer to a question that can be answered in the affirmative or negative ( ruling ), and thus means the negation of a statement. In terms of speech acts has the word "no " different meanings; often it brings a contradiction expressed or asks to abstain from an activity.

As for the part of speech heard " no" to the particles.

• 3.1 Synonyms
• 3.2 Paraverbal equivalents
• 3.3 Non-verbal correspondences

Etymology

"No" is an inherited word, therefore, belongs to the oldest component of the German vocabulary and its cognates in other Indo-European languages ​​are often phonetically very similar. The word "no" is already in this form or in the form " nain " in Old High German occupied before the 9th century.

The result is the word as the composition of the negative particle "ni " (as in the words " not ", " never " and "no " occurs ) and the indefinite article " a " and thus originally meant " no one ".

Linguistic features of the word "no"

Syntactic functions

Most pulls " no " to a negative sentence or a phrase by negative satzwertige like "No, that is not so" or " No you do not. " In syntactic terms, the word "no" even satzwertigen status, corresponds so when used alone a complete sentence ( "No!" ) or has the function of a subset ( "No, that is not so" ).

Logical Functions

• "No," denied a positive question:

• "No," confirmed a negative question:

Responding to questions which are not ruling and an "either - or" contain, one can not logically conclusive answer " no". ( " Are you coming or you stay here ?")

With "no" a previous statement is negated. Double negations of statements logically correspond to an affirmation. Such are common in dialectal speech, press here but an emphasis on the negation of. To realize a double negative in other words with a negative connotation, such as " no " or requires " not ". ("I 'm not an idiot not !")

Pragmatic functions

Depending on the linguistic context or depending on the speech act can be "no" used with different pragmatic meaning of the word; Set in a semantic point takes the word then also different Modalcharakter. "No" can indicate the following speech acts:

• Contradicting a statement ( " Germany was divided until 1989. " - " No, it was divided until 1990, then came the reunion. " )
• Contradicting a call to action ( "Come here and help me! " - " No!" )
• Invitation to prevent or stop an action ( "No, do not! " )
• Expression of emotional states such as surprise, surprise, happiness, etc. ( "No, that can not be true! ", " No, that's nice !")

As gesprächskonstituierendes element can "no" bring a call connection to the expression: "I've bought in the store apples. " - "No. I'm quite fond of the market. "

Depending on the communicative situation can be "no" linguistically aware avoided. Reasons for this are the rules of etiquette. A stand-alone "no" is often thought to be too rigorous, rude, or otherwise inappropriate for, so that is weakened negation in such cases in the linguistic expression and formulated more carefully. For example, in petitions and requests, among other explanations and justifications are offered, "Can you tell me what time it is " - ". No, sorry I've been taking no clock " If, in two speakers an authoritarian gradient before, is "no" interpreted in calls an example as disobedience or social rules perceived contradictory: The call to action " Could you please refrain? " is therefore generally not take "no " at least follow without explanation.

A replication of "no" ( " no, no " ) has different value proposition, which is also highly dependent on paraverbal moments. Firstly, the doubling does have - the same as the double negative - intensifying character, but paradoxically takes the harsh, rude accompanying sound, the a stand-alone "no" optionally has, back again. As an upgraded version can be " no, no " mean appeasement. Secondly, pre- mounted with an appropriate tone of voice " no, no " clear as a sole "no" bring ignoring or devaluing of what is said by the interlocutor expressed.

Semantic equivalent of "no"

Synonyms

As for all varieties of German valid synonyms for the answer particle "no" be "impossible" given words such as " not ", " not at all " or. As largely synonymous with "no" are also mainly used in Germany expressions " Forget it " (from " ( that) do you think " ) and held " Nope ."

As appropriate response to questions formulations are also consistently, appropriately on the topic and the speech situation which express a rejection like " This is wrong ", " That's not true " or " That's nonsense ," etc., but all express the content of more than a mere logical negation by "no."

Frequently used dialectal variants of the word "no" is " no," " nö ", " nää " or " naa ".

For the noun " ( the ) No", which is derived from the word particle, are given, among other things, " rejection ", " disapproval " and " ban" as synonyms.

Paraverbal equivalents

A para verbal utterance that a "No" equal in importance, is the realization of two successive sounds, the pitch of the first text is higher than that of the next. With closed lips these sounds resemble an " ʕm - ʕm ", with the mouth open, take the sound quality of a schwas at ( [ ʕɛ - ʕɛ ] ).

Even a short voiced expulsion of air from the larynx, a aufforderndes "No " or " Do not! " Mean. The semantics of such paraverbal expressions can also be culture-specific. For example, signaled the ejection of air in Japanese not be negative, but a change of speaker and means something like "Now you can talk ."

Nonverbal equivalents

The body language expression for denials and negations is culture-sensitive to some degree. In many countries, a short lateral head turning in both directions ( shaking his head ) is "no" used as an expression for, in others a Take Back the forehead, which can be misinterpreted by strangers as a nod, that as a "yes." In some Asian countries the nod is used as an expression for the denial. In Bulgaria, for example, is used as the nod as the negation and the shaking of the head in affirmation.

For more body language expressions of "no" done with different semantic content by means of said accompanying gestures. So the short back and forth movement of the upward-pointing extended index finger ( facing to the inside of the other party ) or receiving such routes an open hand with the fingers pointing upward are common. The latter can express both friendly defense and also aufforderndes stop areas. The difference lies in the arm position: The prompt character is available in a stretched arm, with thanks forming about rejection or in the case of appeasement on the other hand, the elbow is severely bent and the hand is close to the body.

Social significance - "No" as a political slogan

In political combat situations, as is the case with referendums on the approval or rejection of a political project, use the opponents of an idea as a political slogan often a simple, stand-alone "no". A broad media and public debate, the context of this "no" generally known; the "no" can so shape opinions by its short, absolute conciseness and also convey emotional involvement awareness. At the same time accommodates the slogan -like character of the "No" the tendency of mass media to simplify topics in appearance and content. A striking example of such a case, the referendum on the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe in France in the spring of 2005. According to the months-long exchange of pro and con arguments it was in the days immediately before the election, mainly just a matter of using a " Oui " or " non" his personal conviction to express and therefore even possibly to influence undecided voters.

A "no " can take sometimes emblematic character in explosive political decision-making situations, as was the case in World War II in Greece. On a specific day on which the incumbent leader an opposing political ultimatum by the fascist Italy by a succinct "no" answer came, there was this " No" to the national symbol of resistance and independence. This day, October 28, is since then celebrated as Remembrance Day and is called " Ochi Day" ( "Day of No").

Frequency of use

The answer particle "no" has a word frequency 29 = 512, ie, the most frequently used word in German ( " the " ) is about 500 times more frequently used than the word " no". In 1 million words in German texts is "no" about 17 times used.

The ten most common Kate Kollo in written German texts, ie words that are used together with "no", or typical phrases with these words together with "no" are the following:

" No" in the languages ​​of the world

"No" is a basic word in almost any language. Because of its communicative significance as well as its basic semantics and hence frequent use of the word from said economic reasons is usually short. Since "no" can also serve as an urgent call for omission of an act, the shortness of the word in dangerous situations is advantageous even for biological reasons (protection of life).

In the Indo-European languages ​​are the individual words for " no" mostly realized in the form of nasal Anlauts [n ] followed by a vowel; for example, using the following forms:

• Danish: nej
• English: no
• Farsi: NaH ( نه )
• French: non
• Italian: no
• Catalan: no
• Croatian: ne
• Kurdish: no
• Lithuanian: ne
• Dutch: nee
• Norwegian: nei
• Polish: Never
• Portuguese: não
• Romansh: na
• Romanian: nu
• Sanskrit: nahi
• Slovenian: ne
• Spanish: no
• Swedish: nej
• Czech: ne

If necessary, there is in final consonant of the word:

• Albanian: nuk ( = not, no jo )
• German: no
• Dutch: also: neen
• Russian: nyet

Also, the Esperanto, which is a mixture of elements of Indo-European languages ​​, makes use of this pattern, and is false here ne. A significant exception to this scheme is the Greek, where the word for " no" ochi ( óχι ) is. A special feature is the palatalization of [n ] in Russian to [ nj ].

"No" other sound sequences are in non- Indo-European languages ​​used, such as

• Arabic: la ( لا )
• Finnish: egg
• Hebrew: lo ( לא )
• Japanese: iie (いいえ)
• Tamil: Il- le
• Turkish: Hayır
• Hungarian: nem

In Latin, where the word "no " does not exist, the phrase non est ita is in its place ( =, so it is not '), that uses an entire verne inter declarative sentence. In Indonesian, there is no real word for " no"; however, there is the negation particle tidak ( " not " ) and Bukan ( " no " ), but these are rarely used alone. Dear you answer Belum ( "not yet" ), Sudah ( 'already' ), tidak mau ( " do not want", " will not " ), etc. Similarly, it behaves also in Chinese, where to look for a qualified rejection as well as in Latin must say one little sentence: bù shì (不是) ( " it is not ").

In the English-speaking world is the denial by a sole "No" disuse to a question; the "no " is usually accompanied by a turn, so that negations executed in forms such as "No, I'm not. ", "No, It Is not. ", "No, we do not. " etc. be.