Yoko Iyieri PhD Thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText - University ...

y 'before', 'until', etc. Labov (1972: 805) observes the same
phenomenon in PE. The pleonastic use of negation of this type,
however, is far less established than the phenomenon in J-clauses
dependent upon some specific verbs such as douten 'to doubt' and
forbeden 'to forbid' as discussed above. The sample provides some
examples, as quoted below:
Cums again, wit-vten dute,
Haf yee e dais al fasten vte
Jat i bad ar i ne went? (CM 6557_9)18
But we nylle not so glad hyr make
By-fore we ne suffre hyr to be sorye
(SMA 1457-8)
Bot we ne were vs wit Jar kin
Jat sal our kingrik fra vs win (CM 5501-2)
Was neuer man born Jat cuth wirc
Ne yark suilk a-nojer kirc,
Bot g odd ne had him sli wisdom
Giuen, als he gaf salarnon (CM 8855-8)
1i doghter ne aght i neuem me,
Bot i ne of him ne had pite (CM 9587-8).
Clauses introduced by 'before', 'unless', 'until', etc., in a sense, refer
to non-fulfilment of an action, which provides a non-assertive context
where the use of negative elements may be incited. In fact, the
other option is to employ non-assertive forms such as py and ever
as illustrated below:
Pas into Jere prouyns, pray in hor londys,
Dyng horn to deth er py dyn ryse;
Er p.y batefl be boune, horn to bale worthe,
Pat vnwarnyt of our werkes or horn wo happon
2134-7).
18 Morris (1865: 380) suggests that ne as in the manuscript
should be read as me. In fact the corresponding passage in the
Gdttingen MS (Gottingen University, Germany) runs as follows:
Comis again widuten doute,
llaue 3e Je dais al fastid vte,
Iat i bad, ar I me went (CM 6557-9).
The possibility of ne being pleonastic exists, however, even though it
may simply be a scribal introduction.
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