THE SCOPE OF NEGATION
By the scope of negation we mean the semantic influence that a negative word has on the rest of the clause that follows it. Typically, all that follows the negative form to the end of the clause will be non-assertive and within the scope of negation. Thus, in Some people don’t have any sense of humour, some is outside the scope of negation, whereas any is inside it.
As the non-assertive forms are not in themselves negative, they cannot initiate the scope of negation by standing in initial position in the place of a nuclear negative form. Assertive forms such as some and its compounds can occur after a negative word, but they must necessarily stand outside the scope of negation. Compare the difference in meaning between the two following clauses:
1 He didn’t reply to any of my letters. (None of my letters received a reply)
2 He didn’t reply to some of my letters.
(Some of my letters received a reply, others did not)
The non-assertive form any in example 1 expresses the scope of negation as extending to the end of the clause. In example 2, on the other hand, some must be interpreted as outside the scope of negation.
The scope of negation is closely related to the function of Adjuncts in the clause. Compare the difference in meaning between examples 3 and 4 below, in which the manner Adjunct clearly is within the scope of negation in 3, while the attitudinal sentence Adjunct clearly in 4 is outside it:
3 She didn’t explain the problem clearly.
4 She clearly didn’t explain the problem.
The scope of negation can also explain the occasional occurrence of two negative words in the same clause as in You can’t NOT go. Here each negative item has its own scope.
