double negation

[Евгений]

Do you mean that "nikogda", "nikto" etc. do not have any negation inside?

Not only I think so. All russian schoolchildren are taught this in the age of 14 years. In detailed sentences the pronouns with the particle "ni" are used only in combination with the particle "ne". But the negation with a "ne" without "ni" are quite common. Conclusion: "ne" is negation. "Ni" means the amplifying of it. And no any double negation!
One can be heard "Nikogda.", "Nikto." etc as a separate word.
They should be interpreted as incomplete answers. "Nikogda [ne <verb>].", "Nikto [ne <verb>]." No any negation inside. It is omitted!

Let's talk about word-formation. Here are to pairs:
kto - nikto
gde - nigde

Two questions:
1) How many morphemes do you find in these words?
2) How would you describe the meanings of these morphemes?

[antbez]

The 'ni' is an intensifying particle.

Of course it is. In Tibetan!

[Rusiok]

Two questions:

I have no idea how I have to answer. You answer, please. This way: it is obvious that a person, for whom studing of linguistics was finished at school, he could say so and so...

[Евгений]

I have no idea how I have to answer.

You don't have to. So you don't have any reasonable answer?

[Rusiok]

kto - nikto
gde - nigde

It is obvious that a person, for whom studing of linguistics was finished at school, he could say...
All the 4 words are pronouns in primary form (nominative).
The first word of each pair are the relative pronouns. Because without a question mark. They link clauses in the compound.
The latter words are negative pronouns. The proposal amplify negation.

[Алексей Гринь]

But what about "Ya nikto"?

It's not a negation. What is negated?

Compare: "Ya nikto" = "I am nobody". You say, it isn't negation at all (and even doesn't imply it). OK.

So, concerning the phrase
"Nobody doesn't want it" = "Nikto ne hochet etogo".

it turns out, according to you, that in English we have the same so-called `intensification` (nobody isn't negation, you said) + negation.
So, what's the difference?

By the way, what about "nehoroshiy", "neplohoy" - no negation, too?

Nikto = !Kto-to.

[Евгений]

It is obvious that a person, for whom studing of linguistics was finished at school, he could say...
All the 4 words are pronouns in primary form (nominative).
The first word of each pair are the relative pronouns. Because without a question mark. They link clauses in the compound.
The latter words are negative pronouns. The proposal amplify negation.

That's not what I've asked.

[Rusiok]

That's not what I've asked.

Well, excuse me. At school I was taught to do morphological analysis of pronouns. Guess what you want to get an answer - not taught.

[Евгений]

Well, excuse me. At school I was taught to do morphological analysis of pronouns. Guess what you want to get an answer - not taught.

Aren't you familiar with the term "morpheme"?

[Алексей Гринь]

It's called double negation since technically (etymologically) it's double negation, although functionally it's "intensification" + negation in both languages.

[basta]

I can not say that I agree with mr.Rusiok but perhaps
"Ya nikto" = "Ya ne yest' nikto"
"Ya nikto" = "I am not anybody"
because a verb "to be" does not use in such phrases, guess "not to be" does not too.

There are sentences:
"Ya tut" (yest')
"Menya tut net" (=ne yest')
It probably proves that my guess is wrong. Wazzup?

[iopq]

Wazzup?

how old is this post? it's like it's 2001 again

[Rusiok]

but perhaps "Ya nikto" = "Ya ne yest' nikto"

In this example, the word "nikto" now has the meaning 'one who does not matter', 'one who is not related to something'. Morpheme 'ni' not singled out.
I do not want to talk about the origin of this meaning.

[iopq]

What do you mean it's not singled out? How should it be singled out?

Here are more examples:
Ni on, ni ona
Ni kuszajet, ni spit

ni obviously has a negative meaning

[Rusiok]

Ni on, ni ona

We were taught in school: "Answer in a complete sentence." Let's try to follow this advice. Obviously, the first example is incomplete without the verb with the particle "ne": "Ni on, ni ona ne ver'at". We'll replace the subject on a pronoun: "Oni ne ver'at". "Nikto <iz nikh> ne verit". Well, what happened? The particle "ne" is negation. Moreover, it is required. The particle "ni" can, without much damage to the meaning, be omitted. But if it has presented, then the statement sounds more categorical. Conclusion: "ni" is not a negative particle, but it is an amplifying one.

[iopq]

Ni on, ni ona

We were taught in school: "Answer in a complete sentence." Let's try to follow this advice. Obviously, the first example is incomplete without the verb with the particle "ne": "Ni on, ni ona ne ver'at". We'll replace the subject on a pronoun: "Oni ne ver'at". "Nikto <iz nikh> ne verit". Well, what happened? The particle "ne" is negation. Moreover, it is required. The particle "ni" can, without much damage to the meaning, be omitted. But if it has presented, then the statement sounds more categorical. Conclusion: "ni" is not a negative particle, but it is an amplifying one.

Are you daft?

On ni kuszajet, ni spit.

FULL SENTENCE

[Rusiok]

On ni kuszajet, ni spit.
FULL SENTENCE

I think it is proper to write "ne", not "ni". Children's riddle: "Ne layet, ne kusayet, a v dom ne puskayet". Who is it? A complete answer would be: "Eto zamok ne layet, ne kusayet, a v dom ne puskayet" (This is a lock does not bark, not bite, but does not allow enter home). Or here's another saying: "Ne kuyot, ne melet". Note: the predicate is always used "ne".

[iopq]

On ni kuszajet, ni spit.
FULL SENTENCE

I think it is proper to write "ne", not "ni". Children's riddle: "Ne layet, ne kusayet, a v dom ne puskayet". Who is it? A complete answer would be: "Eto zamok ne layet, ne kusayet, a v dom ne puskayet" (This is a lock does not bark, not bite, but does not allow enter home). Or here's another saying: "Ne kuyot, ne melet". Note: the predicate is always used "ne".

Those things mean something different
"On ni kuszajet, ni spit" means "He neither eats nor sleeps"
"On ne kuszajet i ne spit" means "He doesn't eat and doesn't drink"

"ni ... ni" is the Russian equivalent of "neither ... nor"
ne just means "not"

if I meant "ne" then I would have written "ne"
http://www.gramma.ru/RUS/?id=13.7

[Rusiok]

"On ni kuszajet, ni spit" means "He neither eats nor sleeps"
"ni ... ni" is the Russian equivalent of "neither ... nor"
http://www.gramma.ru/RUS/?id=13.7

You see, //gramma.ru mentions no "ni ... ni" as equivalent to English "neither ... nor". One or two "ni" are used in the Agens to amplify  the negation. In particular, the Agens may be Infinitive of the verb. "On ni kushat', ni spat' ne mozhet (so he had a toothache). I find it difficult to make a sentence which contains Agens as a personal form of the verb.

[Rusiok]

Sorry, of course instead of 'Agens' must read 'Actant'.

[Artemon]

Лично я не уверен, что можно сказать "он ни кушает, ни спит". Обычно "ни... ни" со сказуемым(и) не употребляется.

[iopq]

Лично я не уверен, что можно сказать "он ни кушает, ни спит". Обычно "ни... ни" со сказуемым(и) не употребляется.

Я сам на интернете этот пример нашел

вот еще:  [Собака] ни плачет ни скулит, спит спокойно.

[iopq]

"On ni kuszajet, ni spit" means "He neither eats nor sleeps"
"ni ... ni" is the Russian equivalent of "neither ... nor"
http://www.gramma.ru/RUS/?id=13.7

You see, //gramma.ru mentions no "ni ... ni" as equivalent to English "neither ... nor". One or two "ni" are used in the Agens to amplify  the negation. In particular, the Agens may be Infinitive of the verb. "On ni kushat', ni spat' ne mozhet (so he had a toothache). I find it difficult to make a sentence which contains Agens as a personal form of the verb.

That still doesn't address my point. The sentence I wrote is a valid Russian sentence, does not contain the word "ne." In this sentence word "ni" is used as a negative. Writing it with "ne" is incorrect spelling and/or grammar.

[Rusiok]

Обычно "ни... ни" со сказуемым(и) не употребляется.

I agree with you, but please do not go to the Russian language. I specifically write in this section, when discussing an interesting topic for me to study English linguistic terms.

Лично я не уверен, что можно сказать "он ни кушает, ни спит".

You can say anything you want. But I wonder: whether it will standard, in terms of rules of text generating.

[Rusiok]

The sentence I wrote is a valid Russian sentence, does not contain the word "ne." In this sentence word "ni" is used as a negative. Writing it with "ne" is incorrect spelling and/or grammar.

Я специально посмотрел употребление "ni ni" с помощью поисковика. Одной из первых встретилась страничка http://rusgram.narod.ru/2661-2673.html .
At this entire page with lots of examples the "ni ... ni" with a personal form of the verb is not mentioned. I was particularly pleased with the coincidence of § 2663 with my intuitive sense of the rules of generation of Russian texts.