Does "not" always modify a main verb?

Question

Seijun Suzuki has made great films, and at least some very good ones. And oddly enough some of those films were done not with a completely free hand.

I'd like to know whether "not" modifies only "with a completely free hand" or "with a completely free hand" along with "were don."

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

park sang joonI'd like to know whether "not" modifies only "with a completely free hand" or "with a completely free hand" along with "were don."

It's not correct. The writer probably meant "were not done with a completely free hand". The 'not' modifies (negates) the whole idea "done with a completely free hand".

CJ

Park sang joon · Answer

Thank you, Mr.Jim for your valuable answer.

Then, can I take it that "not" always modifies a main verb along with following words after "not"?

CalifJim · Answer

park sang joonThank you, Mr.Jim for your valuable answer. Then, can I take it that "not" always modifies a main verb along with following words after "not"?

Always? No, not always. < In the preceding phrase, 'not' only modifies the adverb 'always'.

'not' very frequently modifies the whole predicate (the main verb and its complements), but it does not have to.

You can see foxes not far from here.< In this case, 'not' modifies 'far from here'; it does not modify 'can see'; the sentence does not mean that you cannot see foxes.

CJ

Park sang joon · Answer

Thank you Mr.Jim for your continuing to answer.

Then can I take it that "not" modifies only words following after "not"?

CalifJim · Answer

park sang joonThen can I take it that "not" modifies only words following ~~after~~ "not"?

No. It's the most usual pattern, but it's not always that way. For example,

You may not park your car here.

This does not give permission not to park here. It takes away permission to park here. So the concept of permission embedded in the word 'may' is modified (by negation with 'not'), even though 'may' does not follow 'not'.

CJ

Park sang joon · Answer

Thank you Mr.Jim for your continuing support.

Then can I take it that "not" modifies words following after "not" along with an auxiliary verb immediately preceding "not."

CalifJim · Answer

park sang joonThen can I take it that "not" modifies words following after "not" along with an auxiliary verb immediately preceding "not."

Yes, that sounds more reasonable, but even that doesn't always work. Sometimes negation "floats left"— to a clause with 'want' or 'think', for example.

I do not want you to open the window comes from I want you not to open the window, so 'not' doesn't negate 'want' so much as it negates 'open the window', in terms of meaning.

I don't think I have any money comes from I think I don't have any money, so 'not' doesn't negate 'think' so much as it negates 'have any money', in terms of meaning.
__________

It appears to me that you are looking for some kind of computer algorithm that can predict how 'not' operates within any sentence that contains 'not' . I don't believe there is such an algorithm. We'll be here for months trying to figure that out. It would be better just to ask about specific examples if necessary rather than trying to find an all-purpose rule.

CJ

Park sang joon · Answer

Thank you, Mr.Jim, for your elaborate answers and sincere concern.

1) I do not want you to open the window comes from I want you not to open the window, so 'not' doesn't negate 'want' so much as it negates 'open the window', in terms of meaning.
2) I don't think I have any money comes from I think I don't have any money, so 'not' doesn't negate 'think' so much as it negates 'have any money', in terms of meaning.

I can absolutely understand #2

It appears to me that you are looking for some kind of computer algorithm that can predict how 'not' operates within any sentence that contains 'not' . I don't believe there is such an algorithm.

I see.

We'll be here for months trying to figure that out. It would be better just to ask about specific examples if necessary rather than trying to find an all-purpose rule.

Thank you very much

; I will follow your advice and look to for you.

Does "not" always modify a main verb?

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