While reading a text in Japanese, I came across the phrase "何も言わなくなったから".

I don't understand what the ～くない stands for. As far as I know it is used as
the negative of an adjective... but 言う is a verb! It's like 言わない (the negative
form of 言う) was used as an i-adjective. Any thoughts?
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2012-11-23T02:23:48.213
9546
2016-02-11T10:25:42.627
2016-02-11T10:25:42.627
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question
usage conjugations i-adjectives
言わない vs 言わなくない - A negative verb conjugated as an adjective?
Theoretical adding of ない:

  * 言う (plain)

  * 言わない (negative)

  * 言わなく・ない (negative+negative)

  * 言わなく・な **か** った (negative+negative+past)

Therefore 言わなくなった does **not** come from another ない.

  * 言わない→言わなく→言わなく・なる→言わなく・なった

The adverb 言わなく modifies the verb なる in past tense.
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2012-11-23T03:31:18.963
9547
2012-11-23T03:31:18.963
542
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answer