Abstract
Greek has two ʽnegatorsʼ (negative words) ou and mḗ, classified by different scholars as adverbs or particles, and used in statements and directive expressions, respectively. This distinction also holds true for their compounds. Lexical negation is assured, e.g. by the privative prefix a- and dus- and by opposite words without negative affixation.
Greek has two negators, ou and mḗ. The former is used in statements (‘objective negation’), mḗ in directive expressions and wishes (‘subjective’ negation). Mḗ ‘not’ (< PIE *meh₁) is an …