The morpho-syntax of negation and the positions of NegP in the Finno-Ugric languages

This paper presents evidence for variation in the relative position of NegP within the IP complex from a single language family. Whereas previous studies of the position of NegP have relied on such data as word or affix order, or negative scope, this paper uses evidence from the syntactic interaction of bound and free morphemes to determine the position of NegP relative to TP. The data from the Finno-Ugric languages suggests that there are two sub-groups within this family: Mordva, Mari, Komi, Udmurt, and Livonian, in which NegP is generated below TP, and Finnish, Karelian, Ingrian, Vepsian, Votian, Estonian, and Saami, in wich NegP is generated above TP. Since it is commonly assumed that variation in languages should be restricted to the Lexicon, it is posited here that the variation in the position of NegP reflects language specific lexical features of Neg0.