Non-assertive words
APRIL 13, 2011 -
There are some words which are mainly used in affirmative sentences. Examples are: some,
once, already, somebody, something, sometimes, somewhere, someone etc. These words
are often called assertive words.
We do not usually use assertive words in questions and negatives. Instead we use other words
like any, anything, anybody, ever, yet etc. These words are often called non-assertive words.
Compare:
Somebody knocked at the door. (Assertive)
Did anybody knock at the door? (Non-assertive)
I have bought something. (Assertive)
I haven’t bought anything. (Non-assertive)
I have been to the US once. (Assertive)
Have you ever been to the US? (Non-assertive)
She has already arrived. (Assertive)
She hasn’t arrived yet. (Non-assertive)
Non-assertive words are used in questions and negatives. They are also used in if-clauses and
with adverbs, adjectives, verbs, prepositions and determiners that have a negative meaning.
Let me know if you need any help.
I wonder if there is anything wrong with her.
She sings better than anybody else in my family.
Few people have ever seen him laugh.
I would rather do it without anybody’s help.
Assertive words in questions
Assertive words are sometimes used in questions and negatives. This, for example, happens
when we want to give a positive feeling to the sentence.
Did you want something? (Suggests ‘I think you want something’.)
clearer way to see things
The issue here is that we should view the functions of sentences rather differently, not simply in terms of positive,
negative and interrogative, and a way to do that is to consider assertive and non-assertive function so we get:
1. Assertive forms:
1. Statement:
I have brought some bread
It's a long way
2. Interrogative:
Is there some bread in the cupboard?
Is there someone you want to talk to?
3. Negative:
Wasn't there something you needed to ask me? (also interrogative)
She wasn't somebody I wanted to talk to
Somebody hasn't been honest
2. Non-assertive forms:
1. Statement:
Any help would be welcome
It is far away, beyond the mountains
Anyone who drinks and drives is irresponsible
2. Interrogatives:
How far is it?
Do you have anything to add?
3. Negative:
It isn't far
I don't have any
The usual division into assertive and non-assertive determiners, adverbs and pronouns is as follows:
Assertive forms Non-assertive forms
some- series any- / no- series
already yet
any / no longer /
still
more
somewhat no / none
as well
either
too
a long way far
a lot of much / many
a few / a little few / little
a lot at all
Some of these cause few problems because the sense of them is negative rather than that they require
interrogative or negative sentence forms. The ones that do cause the problems are those that are the subject of
the quasi-rules discussed above and it is to these that our attention needs to turn.
What all this boils down to is the fact that we have to look below the surface of a clause and decide what the deep
meaning is.
The scope of negation revealed
It is certainly the case that real questions (rather than offers or invitations to say yes) and negative sentences usually
take the non-assertive forms but that is not invariably the case as the sets of sentences above go to show. There is,
however, a distinct difference in meaning between:
I don't know any of the people at this party (non-assertive form of the determiner)
and
I don't know some of the people at this party (assertive form of the determiner)
The difference in meaning is to do with the scope of negation. In the first sentence above, the whole clause,
including the prepositional phrase adverbial, at this party, is being negated. In the second sentence only the verb
phrase, don't know, is in the negative and the implication is that I do know some of the people.
Here are some more examples in which the scope of negation is progressively decreased (shown by underlining):
I didn't see anybody doing anything wrong
in which the both clauses are negated and nobody did wrong
vs.
I didn't see anybody doing something wrong
in which it may be accepted that something wrong was done but I saw nobody doing that
vs.
I didn't see somebody doing something wrong
in which I am prepared to accept that some wrong was done by someone but I deny that I saw it.
The rule is:
If a non-assertive form is used, it will lie outside the scope of the negation