Knowledge base · Part XVI — Negation · this topic as a network
130. The Prohibitive Subsystem: iteki and Negative Directives
How does the language form negative commands, and how do they relate to other negation and directive forms?
Place in the directive system
Where does the prohibitive fit among directive forms?
Forms and dialect distribution
What are the dialectal variants of the prohibitive adverb?
Negative imperatives are expressed with the adverb iteke in Shizunai Ainu. (Refsing 1986: 203) Negative imperatives (prohibitatives) are expressed by placing the adverbial particle iteki before the verb. (Bugaeva 2012: 496–497) Plural addressee or polite negative imperatives take the particle yan and verbal plurality when available, parallel to positive imperatives. (Bugaeva 2012: 496–497) itek, iteki, and itekki are used for negative imperatives, i.e., prohibition. (Kindaichi & Chiri 1936) yan is appended when expressing prohibition politely. (Kindaichi & Chiri 1936) In Sakhalin Ainu, hanka (< hamka) is used for prohibition. (Kindaichi & Chiri 1936) When ika is used for prohibition, the verb takes a nominative personal affix. (Kindaichi & Chiri 1936) Forms like ikia, ikianepheka, ikianepeka, and ikanepeka are emphatic variants of ika. (Kindaichi & Chiri 1936) Prohibition is expressed by placing hanka before the verb in Sakhalin Ainu, whereas Saru Hokkaido Ainu places 'iteki before the verb. (Murasaki 2025: 85) Prohibitive clauses are formed by adding an adverb such as iteki (Saru, Chitose, Horobetsu, Abuta, etc.), itekke (Shizunai, Samani, Tokachi, etc.), etekke (Shiranuka, Bihoro, Tokachi, etc.), or ecik(k)i (Ishikari). (Nakagawa 2024: 424) Other adverbs such as ika, iki(y)a, ikia(n)kunak, inkian, and archaic ikineypeka also express prohibition. (Nakagawa 2024: 425) The verb following prohibitive adverbs such as ika, iki(y)a, ikia(n)kunak, inkian, and ikineypeka usually takes a subject personal affix rather than the imperative form. (Nakagawa 2024: 425) iteke is obligatory with negative commands. (Refsing 1986: 138) The prohibitive iteke is probably connected historically to the interjection hetak. (proposed in Refsing 1986: 139) Iteke is obligatory with negative commands, whereas hetak is used only when a positive command is especially strong. (Refsing 1986: 139) A prohibitive sentence can be formed by placing the adverb iteki ('never / do not') before the imperative form of the verb. (Satō 2008: 128) A prohibitive sentence can also be formed by placing the adverb ikiyan before a verb with second-person subject marking and ending the sentence with the final particle na. (Satō 2008: 129) iteki functions as a negative/prohibitive adverb meaning 'never, by no means'. (Satō 2008: 368) Negative imperatives use the word iteki ('never'). (Shibatani 1990)
Position and the imperative verb
How is the prohibitive adverb positioned relative to the verb?
The position of prohibitive adverbs like iteki may be anywhere preceding the verb. (Nakagawa 2024: 424)
Person-marked prohibition and the no-linker
How does the prohibitive interact with person marking and the linker 'no'?
To express 'do X without doing Y' in an imperative context, the conjunctive particle no connects the preceding and following clauses. (Nakagawa 2024: 425) When connected with no, the clause following iteki can take personal affixes rather than the usual imperative form. (Nakagawa 2024: 425)
Directive frames after iteki
What clause-final directive frames follow the prohibitive?
iteki can also be added to various sentence patterns expressing directive or imperative meanings other than simple imperative clauses. (Nakagawa 2024: 425) The construction consisting of a second-person subject verb followed by kusu ne na expresses prohibition when the adverb iteki is added preceding the verb. (Satō 2008: 129)
Co-occurrence with somo
Can the prohibitive and the declarative negator co-occur in one clause?
In Shizunai Ainu negative commands, the prohibitive adverb iteke is used instead of the declarative negative marker somo. (Refsing 1986: 138, 139)
Apprehensive warnings
How does the language express 'lest' warnings related to prohibitives?