John Lawler Negation and NPIs Version of 10/29/2005

Negative Polarity Items Negative Triggers

(illustrated with not) (illustrated with any)
I *(dont) have any. I. Overt negatives:
[but NOT any as Subject, e.g, Anyone A. not [w/ NPI clausemate or complement]
can do that, which is Modal Polarity.] He did*(nt) know anybody.
I *(dont) ever see him. [ever = *anywhen] He did*(nt) claim (that) he knew anybody.
He would*(nt) budge. He did*(nt) think (that) he knew anybody.
He did*(nt) have a red cent. B. Incorporated negatives
He has*(nt) been here I doubt (that) he knows anybody.
in weeks/ages/the longest time. Its unlikely (that) he knows anybody.
He may *(not) arrive until noon. Its improbable (that) he knows anybody.
[until with punctual predicates] He dislikes anybody(s) reminding him.
I *(dont) have much time left. He prevented her (from) seeing anyone.
I *(dont) have many days left. I kept her from telling anybody.
He has*(nt) arrived yet. C. Negative frequency adverbs
You need*(nt ) stare at him. I seldom/rarely see any of them.
We dare *(not) disturb him. He hardly/scarcely knows anyone.
[need & dare as modals] D. Quantifiers & quantified adverbs
I *(dont) like that at all. Only Bill did any of the homework.
Its *(not) that easy any more. (*A) Few people see any use for it.
Hes *(not) all that smart. II. Questions (overt and embedded)
[be all that + adjective/adverb] Did you see anybody?
Hes *(not) too bright. [too = very] How does anybody stand this?
*(Dont) bother to close/closing the door. I wonder how anybody stands this.
That should*(nt) last long, be long, III. Hypothetical clauses
take long. [but NOT a long time] Tell me if you see anyone.
I can*(t) seem to understand him. He asked whether I saw anyone.
I would*(nt) care to fight with her. Tell me whatever anybody says.
I would*(nt) mind fighting with her. Check the list again, lest we forget anyone.
I *(dont) know but that/what hes right. Ill read it aloud, unless anyone objects.
They *(dont) drink a drop, do a thing,
give a damn/shit, lift a finger, IV. Comparatives, superlatives, etc.
bat an eye, eat a bite, ... [V+minimal D.O.] Theres more/less here than anybody knew.
They can*(t) help themselves. He prefers beer to any other drink.
They can*(t) help thinking of that. Hed rather die than hurt anyone.
I saw *(no) people there to speak of. Hes as good as anyone expected.
Hes the fastest one (that) anybody knows of.
I saw him before anybody (did).
Im surprised (that) he knows anybody.
* Asterisk before a sentence indicates ungrammaticality. Its too dark to recognize anything.
Parentheses indicate optional material that can be omitted.
Asterisk before parenthesis indicates that the elements inside
He left without anybody noticing (it).
the parentheses are obligatory and cannot be omitted. Thats hard for anybody to do.
Asterisk after parenthesis indicates that the elements inside
the parentheses are ungrammatical and must be omitted.
http://www.umich.edu/~jlawler/NPIs.pdf