Hindi-Urdu speakers use the infinitive in -v:al:a together with a negative or an interrogative pronoun to express strong disapproval, disbelief, defiance, or denial:
(1) y:h em:l:v:al:aðø
Aaòr eks:an:aðø kñ b:ic: ka m:ØAam:l:a hò.
s:rkar Es:m:ðø dQ:l: dðn:ðv:al:i kaòn: ?
'This matter is between the
mill-owners and the farmers. Who is the government to interfere?'
(from )ðm:c:nd's g:aðdan:, Chapter Twenty-two. See context.)
(2) G:r t:Ømhara, m:ael:k t:Øm:, m:òø B:l:a kaòn: haðt:i
hÜú, t:Ømhðø
G:r s:ð en:kal:n:ðv:al:i ?
'The house belongs to you. You're the
lord and master. Who am I to throw you out of your house?!'
(from g:aðdan:, Chapter Four. See context.)
(3) j:b: B:òy:a n:ð p:ndÒh
,p:y:ð m:ðö s:aòda kr el:y:a, t:að y:h b:ic: m:ðö kÜdn:ðv:al:i
kaòn: !
'When Brother has made the deal for 15
rupees, who is she to jump into the middle?'
(from g:aðdan:, Chapter Four. See context.)
(4) v:h m:ØJ:s:ð m:z:aq krt:i
hò, edK:at:i hò ek m:ØJ:ð t:ðri
p:rv:ah n:hiø hò;
l:ðekn: m:òø ehmm:t: harn:ðv:al:a m:n:Ø\y:
n:hiø hÜú.
'She makes fun of me, shows that she
doesn't care one bit about me. But I am not a man to lose heart.'
g:aðdan:, Chapter Seven. See context.
To express denial, disbelief, etc. a j:að-clause with the infinitive can almost always be used instead of V- n:ð v:al:a. Compare (5b) with (6):
(5a) kÙm:ar ki Vy:a ray: hò,
v:ð j:ay:ðøg:ð y:a
n:hiø ?
'What does the prince have to say
about this? Will he go or not?'
(from c:ndÒkant:a, Chapter Four.)
(5b) Aap: Q:Ød j:an:t:ð
hòø ek kØm:ar kal: s:ð B:i Rrn:ðv:al:ð
n:hiø, v:h j:al:im: Q:aú
Vy:a c:iz: hò !
'You yourself know that the prince
is not one to fear Death Itself. What is Zalim Khan in comparison?'
(from c:ndÒkant:a, Chapter Four.)
(6) Aaðökarn:aT: un:
Aadem:y:aðö m:ðö n:hiø hò j:að En:
D:m:eky:aðö s:ð Rr j:ay:.
(from g:aðdan:, Chapter Six. See context.)
Indeed, at times such clauses must be used:
(7) ePr eks:ki ehmm:t: hò, j:að us: p:r hús:ð
(from g:aðdan:, Chapter Twenty-six. See context.)
(8a) kÙm:ar : t:Ømharð m:ael:k ka Vy:a n:am: hò ?
(8b) Ok : Oðs:i eks:ki m:j:al: hò j:að hm:arð
m:ael:k ka n:am: l:ð !
(from c:ndÒkant:a, Chapter Four.)
See more notes on m:j:al: with infinitives or j:að-clauses.
Note from kÙs:Øm:
j:òn:: The person, number, and gender of the subject in the
main clause may carry over into a j:að-clause like that in (5b) just in case there
is no intervening predicate noun:
(9a) m:òø Oðs:i n:hiø
hÜú j:að t:Ømhðø D:aðK:a /
dð / / dÜú.
If a predicate noun such as Aaòrt: (9b) or kaòn: (9c) intervenes, such carry-over is
blocked:
(9b) m:òø Oðs:i Aaòrt:
n:hiø hÜú j:að t:Ømhðø D:aðK:a
dð.
(9c) m:òø Oðs:i kaòn:
hÜú j:að t:Ømhðø D:aðK:a
dð.
More on j:að-clauses with the subjunctive.
Exercise on V- n:ðv:al:a with interrogatives or
negatives.
Other sections dealing with negation:
1. m:j:al:
hò ! Warning and
warding off.
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Drafted 3-5 Jan 2001. Posted on 5-8 Jan 2001. Augmented 14 Jan
2001. IE-enabled 15 June 2002. Cross-referenced 22 Aug 2004.
'Omkarnath is not one of those men who
fears threats such as these.'
'Then who would have the nerve to
laugh at her ... ?'
'The prince: "What is the name of your
master?"'
'One (of the women): "Who would dare
to utter the name of our master?"'
'I am not the sort to deceive you.'
'I am not the sort of woman to deceive
you.'
'Who am I to deceive you?'
2. m:ar
K:aO eb:n:a n:hiø m:an:t:a H Without V-ing.
3. rha
n:hiø j:at:a H Passive of incapacity
4. b:n:aO
n: b:n:ð H Paired
verbs and incapacity.
5. j:an:ð ka n:am: n:hiø l:ðt:a
H Empahtic
negation.
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