Double Negative - Uralic Languages

Uralic Languages

Double or multiple negatives are grammatically required in Hungarian with negative pronouns, e.g. Nincs semmim ("I do not have nothing") means "I do not have anything". Negative pronouns are constructed by means of adding the prefixes se-, sem-, and sen- to interrogative pronouns.

Double negation is required also in Finnish, which uses the auxiliary verb ei to express negation. Negative pronouns are constructed by means of adding one of the suffixes -an, -än, -kaan, or -kään to interrogative pronouns. An example: Kukaan ei soittanut minulle ("No one did not call me") is used to say "No one called me".