9.2.2. ‘Not’ with ‘I,’ ‘we,’ ‘you,’ past, future, questions, and commands
| hiyáʔ st. | ‘We go.’ |
| ʔáwə st c hiyáʔ. | ‘We do not go.’ |
| ƛ̓kʷə́t cxʷ. | ‘You take it.’ |
| ʔáwə cxʷ c ƛ̓kʷə́t. | ‘You do not take it.’ |
| siʔám̓ cn. | ‘I am boss.’ |
| ʔáwə cn c siʔám̓. | ‘I am not boss.’ |
| x̣ʷə́ŋ cxʷ hay. | ‘You folks are fast.’ |
| ʔáwə cxʷ hay c x̣ʷə́ŋ. | ‘You folks are not fast.’ |
► 2 The word ʔáwə is really a verb meaning ‘to be not.’ It’s possible to say ʔáwə cn meaning ‘I am not’ or ‘It’s not me.’
► 3 Look at the examples above and guess where the past marker yaʔ and the future marker caʔ would go.
► 4 If you guessed ‘in their usual places next to the subject,’ you are right! Study these negative past and future tense forms:
ʔáwə yaʔ st c hiyáʔ. ‘We did not go.’
ʔáwə caʔ cxʷ c ƛ̓kʷə́t. ‘You will not take it.’
ʔáwə caʔn c siʔám̓. ‘I will not be boss.’
ʔáwə yaʔ cxʷ hay c x̣ʷə́ŋ. ‘You folks were not fast.’
► 5 To make a negative command, simply put the či after the ʔáwə, as with any other verb. Study these:
ʔáwə či c hiyáʔ. ‘Don’t go!’
ʔáwə či c ƛ̓kʷə́t cə sʔíɬən. ‘Do not take the food!’
ʔáwə či c siʔám̓. ‘Don’t be the boss!’
► 6 To make a negative yes/no question, simply put the u after the ʔáwə, as with any other verb. Study these:
ʔáwə u yaʔ st c hiyáʔ. ‘Didn’t we go?’
ʔáwə u caʔ cxʷ c ƛ̓kʷə́t. ‘Will you not take it?’
ʔáwə u caʔn c siʔám̓. ‘Won’t I be boss?’
ʔáwə u yaʔ cxʷ hay c x̣ʷə́ŋ. ‘Weren’t you folks fast?’
► 7 An object pronoun ending (see §7) stays with the negated word. Here are some examples. Study them carefully, making sure that you know how each one works.
ʔáwə yaʔ cxʷ c šč̓ə́c. ‘You didn’t hit me.’
ʔáwə cn c k̓ʷənúŋə. ‘I don’t see you.’
ʔáwə u yaʔ cxʷ c mísc. ‘Didn’t you choose me?’
► 8 New vocabulary: siʔám̓ ‘boss, respected person
 | hiyáʔ caʔn t̓úk̓ʷ. | ‘I’m going to go home.’ |
 | ʔáwə či c hiyáʔ. | ‘Don’t go.’ |
| ʔənʔá či wáʔ. | ‘Come along.’ |
| ʔáwə caʔn c hiyáʔ. | ‘I’m not going to go.’ |