Non
Non is the French word for “no” and is used to give a negative answer or reject a proposition.
Oui: Oui is the French word for “yes,” used to answer affirmatively. It is the direct affirmative counterpart to non in answers.
French question-answering: French question-answering is the practice of responding to questions using forms shaped by their wording and polarity. Non answers yes-or-no questions by rejecting the proposed answer or proposition.
Négation: Negation is the linguistic or logical operation that denies a proposition or reverses its truth value. Non is one French lexical expression of the broader operation of negation.
Speech act: A speech act is an utterance understood as performing an action, such as promising, requesting, or refusing. Saying non can perform a refusal or rejection rather than merely describe negation.
French negation: French negation is the grammatical expression of denial or absence, commonly formed with ne and a negative word. Non can stand alone; sentence negation uses broader grammatical patterns.
Refusal: Refusal is the act of declining a request, offer, invitation, or proposal. Non commonly makes a refusal direct, though tone and context affect its force.
Negative polarity item: A negative polarity item is an expression whose use is licensed or favored by negative contexts. French negative expressions interact with polarity-sensitive words in sentences.
Prosody: Prosody is the rhythm, stress, and intonation pattern of spoken language. Intonation changes whether non sounds neutral, emphatic, impatient, or reassuring.
Ne: Ne is a French grammatical particle used in standard negative constructions, often paired with another negative word. It combines with pas in the common sentence pattern ne…pas, unlike standalone non.
Disagreement: Disagreement is the expression of a view that differs from another person’s claim or position. Non can reject a claim, not just answer a question negatively.