Negation in Kam

This chapter provides a comprehensive analysis of the negation system of Kam, a Niger-Congo language spoken in central-east Nigeria. The analysis is based on data from various sources, including elicitation, narratives and conversations. It follows the same structure as all other chapters in this volume, treating negation in different types of simple clauses, in complex clauses (including questions of scope and Neg-raising), and negative replies. Some notable features of negation in Kam are the following. Morphological tone plays a major role in expressing negation, as it does in other aspects of Kam. Negation interacts in complex ways with tense and aspect, showing a clear distinction under negation between future and non-future tense which is rare in the area where Kam is spoken. Negation is also expressed differently in clauses with an object and clauses without an object. There is a special intensity construction, which features the clausal negator used expletively, expressing an emphatically positive meaning instead. In other areas, e.g. in non-verbal predication, Kam shows common typological patterns. The chapter also discusses related constructions, including nondum and discontinuative constructions. The conclusion gives a brief overview of most markers that are discussed. Some markers and syntactic devices appear to be optional and require more research.