When negating a Khasi verb, explain the distinct usage and typical placement of the negative particle 'ym' compared to 'da', providing a sentence example for each.
Negating a Khasi verb involves indicating that an action or state is not occurring, has not occurred, or should not occur. In Khasi, the particles 'ym' and 'da' are central to this process, each having distinct usage and placement based primarily on tense, aspect, and modality.
The negative particle 'ym'
'Ym' is the general negative particle used primarily to negate verbs in the present and future tenses, indicating that an action is not happening or will not happen. It denotes a simple non-occurrence of an event or state in the present or future.
The typical placement of 'ym' is immediately after the subject pronoun and directly before the main verb. It never separates a verb from its direct object. For example, in a sentence with a subject pronoun, 'ym' will appear between the pronoun and the verb, forming a common structure like Subject + 'ym' + Verb.
*Sentence example for 'ym':
Nga ym leit. (I am not going / I will not go.)
The negative particle 'da'
'Da' is a negative particle used in more specific contexts than 'ym'. Its primary usages include expressing prohibition (negative imperative) and indicating that an action has *not yet* occurred or has *never* occurred (negation of a completed or perfective action up to the present).
When 'da' expresses prohibition, it typically follows the prohibitive particle 'wat' (meaning 'do not'), forming the common phrase 'wat da' which precedes the verb. In this context, 'da' directly negates the command.
When 'da' indicates non-occurrence up to the present (often translated as "not yet"), its typical placement is immediately after the subject pronoun and directly before the verb, similar to 'ym', but with the distinct meaning of an action that has not happened by a particular point in time or up to the present moment.
*Sentence example for 'da':
Wat da kren. (Do not speak.)
U da poi. (He has not arrived yet.)