“not” in Latin

non, haud (the former the most common word, applicable in every direct negation; haud, like our “not at all,” “not exactly,” occurs only in certain connections, especially before adverbs and adjectives, in order to diminish their signification; as, not much, hand multum: not far, haud longe. Vid: Zumpt, § 277. ☞ Avoid, what is so common with modern writers, the use of nullus for non in expressions such as nullus dubito, I do not doubt, for non or minime dubito; is nullus venit, he did not come, for is non venit, etc.: it is a Grecism adopted from the comic writers, and is confined by Cic. almost entirely to the epistolary style): minus (our “less,” as a modest negative for non; Vid: Handrianus, Tursell., 3, p. 621, sqq.): nihil (like the Greek οὐδέν, is a strong negation; our “not at all”): neutiquam, haudquaquam, nequaquam, minime (still stronger, “not at all,” “by no means,” “not in the least “): ne (dffers from the former negatives, which deny anything as a fact, by referring only to a mere hypothesis; hence it is used in propositions which express a command, order, prayer; e.g., do not make any opposition if, etc., ne repuguetis, si, etc.: may I not live if, etc., ne vivam, si, etc.); fac, ne, followed by a subjunctive (cause that not, etc.), or cave (ne) followed by a subjunctive (take care that not, etc.), or noli followed by an infinitive (do not desire, be unwilling; all these when a command, prayer, etc., is to be uttered in a modest tone, for the simple ne; do not concern yourself about anything else than, fac ne quid aliud cures, nisi ut etc.: do not suffer yourself to desire, cave ne cupias: do not desire what cannot happen, nolite id velle, quod fieri non potest. But

☞ parce or fuge, followed by an infinitive, are pure Grecisms, not found in classical Latin prose). In questions “not” is expressed, (a) by annon, when a person asks whether something has not taken place, although he is convinced that such is the case; e.g., did I not say that it would be so? annon dixi, hoc futurum? (b) by nonne, when one asks in a convincing manner, with conviction of the correctness of his position; e.g., what! is not the dog like the wolf? quid? canis nonne lupo similis? or, when one would give the person to tinderstand that he observes something, but does not regard it; e.g., tu, qui deos putas humana negligere, nonne animadvertis, etc.? (c) by ne; e.g., with verbs of observation; when one is not certain that the other observes a thing, or if one believes thai he does not observe it sufficiently; e.g., videsne, ut apud Homerum saepissime Nestor de virtutibus suis praedicet? (d) by non, when one believes that the other does not notice a thing at all; e.g., non vides quanto periculo, etc.? (the person asked really does not see the danger at all). But non is also, frequently used in a lively style for nonne; e.g., is it not a piece of madness? non est amentia? (☞ Heusing., Cic., Off., 3, 19, 10; Cort., Sall., Jug., 31, 17. Also observe that annon and anne look for an answer in the affirmative, ne and non expect one in the negative. Respecting “not” in interrogations, Vid: Ramsh., § 174, 1, 2, and Not. 1 and 2): not at all, nullo pacto, nullo modo (in no manner): nihil (in no respect): not so very (before an adverb, or adjective), haud or non ita (not particularly; for which ☞ some moderns use parum wrongly); e.g., not so very far, haud (non) ita longe; not rightly, non satis (not sufficiently): parum (too little; opposed to nimis): not even, ne... quidem (between which the word on which the emphasis lies must be placed; e.g., I do not consider this as even useful, ne utile quidem hoc esse arbitror): not once, non semel (several times): ne semel quidem (not a single time) :, not so = not in this manner, non ita; non sic = less, minus; to wander not so far, minus late vagari: but not, not, however, non vero, neque vero, non autem (the second especially in transitions. If a simple opposition is formed by “not,” non is used alone; as, I mean the father, not the son, dico patrem, non filium; Vid: Grotef., § 263: Zumpt, § 781): but... not, nec or neque (Vid: Cic., Or., 33, 117): and not, nec or neque (this especially in transition = and also not; fortune does not give virtue, and therefore does not take it away, virtutem fortuna non dat, ideo nec detrahit): also... not, nec... quidem; e.g., sed nec Jugurtha quidem quietus interea (cf., Benecke, Justin., 7, 5, 8, p. 19, sq. ☞ Etiam non is not Latin): that not [Vid: THAT]: only not, not only [Vid: ONLY]: or not [Vid: OR]: and not, et non; neque (the former is used if the negative refer to one word, or if the emphasis lie on the negative; neque serves for connecting two propositions = and also not; e.g., via certa et non longa = a sure and not a long way; but via certa neque longa = a sure and not long way. And not, ac non. ☞ Avoid atque non, which is only used by Pliny the elder; Vid: Handrianus, Tursell., 1, p. 473, 19): and not rather, ac non potius; ac non (Vid: Handrianus, loc. cit.): and not less, atque etiam, itemque (in like manner also, ☞ not atque adeo = and rather, and even; also, avoid nec non, which in this sense is not found in the best prose: why not [Vid: WHY]? because not, quod non: if not [Vid: IF]: not..., but, non..., sed: not..., but rather, non..., sed potius: not..., but however, non..., at; non..., sed tamen: not..., but at least, non..., sed certe: not..., but not even, non..., sed ne quidem: not..., nor even, non..., nec quidem: not..., unless; not..., except, non..., nisi: not that (in order that)..., but that (in order that, or in order that not), non ut..., sed ut (or sed ne); non ut..., verum ut: not in order that..., but in order that, non ut..., sed quo (for sed ut eo): not that not..., but in order that, non quin..., sed ut: not that not..., but however, non quin..., sed or sed tamen: not that..., but yet, or however, non quo..., sed tamen: not that..., but on the other hand, non quo..., sed contra: not because..., but in order that, in order that not, non quia..., sed ut or sed ne: not because..., but because, non quia..., sed quia; non quod..., sed quod; non quod..., sed quo: not on account of..., but because or but in order that, or but in order that not, non alicujus rei causa, sed quod; non alicujus rei causa, sed ut or sed ne: not as if not..., but because, non quin..., sed quia or sed quod: not in order that, or not because..., but in order that, non quo or non quod..., sed ut (or in order that not, sed ne): not on this account, because..., but because, non ideo quod..., verum quod: not on this account, because..., but in order that, non ideo quod..., sed ut: not on this account, in order that..., but in order that not, non ideo ut..., sed ne: not as if..., but in order that, non quasi..., sed ut. ☞ Observe (a) “I say that not”, etc., “I maintain that it is not”, etc., is expressed in Latin by nego, followed, by an accusative and infinitive; e.g., meus amicus negabat, se hoc facturum esse: (b) in connection with an adjective, “not” is frequently expressed in Latin by one word; e.g., not wise, amens, demens; not pleasant, injucundus, ingratus (☞ in the use of such adjectives compounded with in there is need of great caution, since they are not very common in the Golden Age of the language; e.g., not weary, non defatigatus; but indefessus is not classical). NOT BUT THAT, Vid: BUT THAT. NOT ONLY - BUT ALSO, Vid: BUT. NOT THAT - BUT, NOT THAT NOT - BUT BUT.