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NP negation and sentential negation
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Syntactically, gjin no belongs to the Noun Phrase (NP). Nevertheless, it systematically functions as the equivalent of sentence negation in cases in which sentence negation is combined with an NP introduced by the indefinite article. Consider the example below:

1
Hy hat gjin kadootsje krigen
he has no present got
He did not get a / any present
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In English, sentence negation can be used in combination with an indefinite NP. Instead of the indefinite NP, the negative polarity item any can also be used. Frisian features the negative article gjin no. In Early Modern Frisian, the negative article nin no was used until the second half of the 18th century. After that it lingered on in formal written language. Historically, both forms derive from the combination of negation with an indefinite article. NPs introduced by the negative article mainly occur in subject and object position. They cannot occur in the position of indirect object:

2
?Se wolle gjin muzykferiening subsydzje jaan
they want no music.society subsidy give
They do not want to give any musical society a subsidy

This sentence is odd on the neutral intonation that can be used with the negative article in subject and direct object position. However, the sentence is grammatical if it gets the intonation that marks the reading not a single. This intonation features a sharp rise on the noun following the negative article. The sentence also becomes grammatical if the adjective inkelde single is added:

3
Se wolle gjin inkelde muzykferiening subsydzje jaan
they want no single music.society subsidy give
They do not want to give any musical society a subsidy

On the not a single reading, the article can be found in NPs that function as prepositional complements. This reading is bound up with singular nouns:

4
Se wolle oan gjin muzykferiening subsydzje jaan
they want to no music.society subsidy give
They do not want to give a subsidy to any musical society
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