まい

まい is a classical remnant that remains vital for high-level literacy. It is almost exclusively a written or highly formal spoken expression (書き言葉) outside of set phrases. Its attachment rules are unique and vary by verb group:

1. Attachment Rules:

• Godan Verbs (Group 1): Attaches to the dictionary form. (e.g., 行く（いく） + まい → 行くまい)
• Ichidan Verbs (Group 2): Can attach to either the stem or the dictionary form. The stem version is more traditional. (e.g., 食べまい（たべまい） or 食べるまい（たべるまい）)
• Irregular Verbs:
  - する： するまい (modern formal), すまい (traditional literary), or しまい.
  - 来る（くる）： くるまい (modern formal) or こまい (traditional literary).
• Adjectives/Nouns: Uses the auxiliary ある (e.g., 美しくあるまい（うつくしくあるまい）, 学生ではあるまい（がくせいではあるまい）).
• Polite Form: Can attach to the polite ます form (e.g., 行きますまい（いきますまい）) in formal writing or older literature.

2. Usage Nuances:

• Negative Volition (1st Person): When the subject is 'I', it expresses a strong determination not to do something. (e.g., 'I shall never return.') It is frequently paired with strong negative adverbs like 「二度と」（にどと - never again） or 「決して」（けっして - absolutely not）. Note that while sentence-ending まい is restricted to the 1st person for volition, the pattern 〜まいとする can be used for 3rd-person negative volition (e.g., 彼は泣くまいとした（かれはなくまいとした） - He tried not to cry).
• Negative Conjecture: It expresses a logical guess that something is unlikely. (e.g., 'It probably won't rain.') While most common with 3rd-person subjects or inanimate objects, it can also apply to the 1st person for objective, logical guesses (e.g., 私が合格することはあるまい（わたしがごうかくすることはあるまい） - It is unlikely that I will pass).
• Polite Request/Invitation: When used in the form 〜まいか, it functions as a highly polite or literary request or invitation (e.g., 私の話を聞いてくれまいか（わたしのはなしをきいてくれまいか） - Won't you please listen to what I have to say?).

3. Grammar Characteristics:
まい is uninflected (無変化型), meaning it does not conjugate and has no past tense or negative form of its own. Tense is determined by the surrounding context or the main verb.

4. Common Literary Patterns:
The construction 〜まいとする is frequently used in literature to mean 'trying not to' or 'struggling not to' (e.g., 泣くまいとする（なくまいとする） - trying not to cry). Another core pattern is 〜ようか〜まいか (whether to do or not do), used when hesitating over a decision.

Other important advanced patterns include 〜ようが〜まいが / 〜ようと〜まいと (Regardless of whether...) and 〜のではあるまいか (Isn't it perhaps...?). Unlike ものか, which is emotional and defiant, まい is calm and intellectual. It is also often used in the set phrase 〜ではあるまいし ('It's not as if...') to criticize someone's behavior by comparing it to something they are not.