Negation in English and other languages

Otto Jespersen; Brett Reynolds, Peter Evans; Olli O. Silvennoinen

Synopsis

Otto Jespersen's landmark study of negation provides a wide-ranging analysis of how languages express negative meaning. Drawing on an impressive array of historical texts and comparative examples, primarily from Germanic and Romance languages, Jespersen examines the forms, functions, and historical development of negative expressions. The work traces the evolution of negative markers, analyzes how negative prefixes modify word meanings, and reveals coherent patterns in how languages structure negative expressions.

Through meticulous analysis of authentic examples, Jespersen documents both common patterns and language-specific variations in negative expressions. His treatment of topics such as double negation, the distinction between special and nexal negation, and the various forms of negative particles provides a methodical account of negation's complexity. The work's enduring importance stems not only from its analysis of the cyclical renewal of negative markers (later termed “Jespersen's Cycle”) but from its comprehensive scope and detailed examination of negative expressions across multiple languages and historical periods.

This new critical edition makes this classic work accessible to modern readers while preserving its scholarly depth. The text has been completely re-typeset, with examples presented in contemporary numbered format and non-English examples given Leipzig-style glosses. A new introduction contextualizes Jespersen's achievement and demonstrates its continued significance for current linguistic research.

Biographies

Otto Jespersen
Otto Jespersen was Professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Copenhagen. He is best known for his work on English grammar (especially syntax), but his work spans various areas of linguistics, including phonetics, language teaching, historical linguistics, and artificial languages.
Brett Reynolds, Humber Polytechnic & University of Toronto

Brett Reynolds is Professor of EAP and TESL at Humber Polytechnic and Adjunct Professor of linguistics at University of Toronto. His research focuses on the micro-syntax of English words and the ontology of grammaticality.

Peter Evans

Peter Evans previously taught at Hosei University in Tokyo.

Olli O. Silvennoinen, Åbo Akademi University
Olli O. Silvennoinen is a University Lecturer in English Language at Åbo Akademi University in Turku, Finland. His research interests include negation, construction grammar, corpus linguistics, and linguistic typology.
Book cover

Published

March 27, 2025
LaTeX source on GitHub

Print ISSN

2366-374X
Cite as
Jespersen, Otto, Reynolds, Brett, Evans, Peter & Silvennoinen, Olli O.. 2025. Negation in English and other languages. (Classics in Linguistics 8). Berlin: Language Science Press. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.14843487

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Details about the available publication format: PDF

PDF

ISBN-13 (15)

978-3-96110-500-7

doi

10.5281/zenodo.14843487

Details about the available publication format: Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN-13 (15)

978-3-98554-129-4

Physical Dimensions

180mm x 245mm