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

(3) Pleonastic negation
Clauses which formally provide a negative element or negative
elements but which are not negative semantically are examples of
'pleonastic' negation. While the term is constantly employed in
the present study, the adjective 'expletive' is occasionally
employed in place of 'pleonastic' in existing studies (see Bacquet
1975: 13). 'Pleonastic' negation comprises of some different
types, which are discussed in 6.1. below.
(4) Unexpressed negation
The omission of a negative element which is semantically
necessary is called 'unexpressed' negation in the present thesis.
Since the phenomenon is not yet established, no standard
terminology is available for it. For further details and examples
of 'unexpresseci' negation, see 6.2. below.
(5) Existential clauses
Clauses in which the main verb is a form of be used not as a
copula are existential clauses. Existential clauses therefore
ascribe the existence of animate or inanimate substance. There
are books in the room is an existential clause, but Some books
are in the room is not. Existential clauses are often but not
always introduced by 'there' (e.g. Some existential clauses
are introduced by 'it' (e.g. it, hit).
(6) Imperative clauses and optative clauses
Clauses which indicate a commandment or order are imperative
clauses, while clauses which express a speaker's wish are
optative clauses. In the case of optative clauses, the finite verb
originally takes the subjunctive form, but the form is often like
the imperative form in ME (Mustanoja 1960: 455-6). In some
32