§ 2 Negative and Interrogative Sentences
For a negative sentence it is never correct to use the impersonal, but always the inflected form of the verb or of the auxiliary, preceded by the negative particle ni (older, ny) or nyns. The order is:—
1. Negative Particle—Verb—Subject—Complement of Predicate.
Or:—
2. Negative Particle—Auxiliary (inflected)—Subject—Infinitive of Main Verb—Complement.
If the object is a pronoun, in the first case it follows the negative particle in its third form, in the second case it precedes the infinitive in the possessive form. Thus:—
1. Ni welav vî an dên, I do not see the man.
Ni wôr dên vîth an êr, no man knoweth the hour.
2. Ni wrígav vî gwelas an dên, I did not see the man.
1. Ni’th welav vî, I do not see thee.
2. Ni wrigav vî dha welas, I did not see thee.
In the case of the present and imperfect of bos, to be, the particle nyns is often used, and it is sometimes found with other words beginning with vowels, but its use is rare in late Cornish, and ni, or less correctly na (or nag before a vowel) is more usual.
It is allowable to use the inflected form with the subject-pronoun preceding the negative particle, but it should only be used for emphasis on the subject, and is better avoided.
Interrogative sentences are formed with the interrogative particle a, or by the use of some interrogative pronoun or adverb. In all cases the inflected form of the main verb or auxiliary (usually the latter) follows the particle, pronoun, or adverb, and usually with its initial in the second state. Thus:—
A wrîgough why besca gwelas? Did you ever see?
A wreugh why agan gwelas? Do you see us?
Fatla wreugh why crŷa hedna? How do you call that?
Fraga wreugh why gwîl hebma? Why do you do this?
A vednough why môs genev vî? Will you go with me?
The particle a is often omitted colloquially, but its effect is perceptible in the change of the initial of the verb. If the verb begins with a vowel, a is always omitted.
With interrogative sentences should come the answers to them. It must be understood that by nature no Celt can ever say a plain “yes” or “no.” There are “dictionary words” for “yes” and “no” in Welsh and Cornish, and they are used a very little in translations from other languages; but they do not “belong” to be used in speaking or writing Welsh or Cornish. In Gaelic there are not even “dictionary words” for them. In Breton ia and nan are used freely for “yes” and “no,” as in French, but that is probably quite modern French influence. The Celtic practice is to repeat the inflected verb of the question, affirmatively or negatively, in the necessary person. Thus:—
’Ellough why cowsa Kernûak? Can you speak Cornish?
Gellam or mî ellam. I can (yes). Ni ellam, or (less correctly) nag ellam, I cannot (no).
A vednough why dôs genev vî? Will you come with me?
Mednav. I will (yes). Ni vednav. I will not (no).
A wrîg ev môs dhô Benzans? Did he go to Penzance?
Gwrîg. He did. Ni wrîg. He did not.
’Esta ajŷ? Art thou at home?
Thoma. I am. Nynsov, or nynsoma, or (less correctly), nag ov. I am not.
In the case of a negative interrogative sentence the verb is immediately preceded by na=nî + a, whether it begins the sentence or is itself preceded by an interrogative conjunction. Thus:—
Na wrîsta gwelas? Didst thou not see?
Fraga na wrîsta crejy? Why didst thou not believe?