Word order in a negative imperative sentence

Question

The following are imperative sentences with subjects not omitted. (Emphasis on verbs.)

Everybody look!
Nobody move!
John sit down; the rest of you go home.
Somebody answer the phone!
You keep out of this!

These are negative imperatives:

Don’tV youS worry.
It’s a surprise party so don’tV anybodyS mention it to Jim.
You allS, don’tV move!
YouS, don’tV move!
Don’tV youS move!
JohnS, don’tV speak!
Don’tV JohnS speak! (← not works)

In a negative imperative sentence having an explicit subject, when does the verb precede the subject, and when does it not? By “when,” I mean it in terms of grammar and meaning ⸺ What kind of subjects can be used in the “Don’t (subject)―” construction, and what kind of subjects in the “(subject) don’t―”? And how would the order affect the overall tone of the sentence?

Anton · Answer

There is a discussion of the emphatic imperative in

Books for Languages
We form the emphatic imperative by using do and the verb in the infinitive form.
For example:
— “All the students of 6th grade, please do stand in line.” = Emphatic imperative do stand used for a polite request.
— “Sir, do sit down please. You are blocking the view.” = Emphatic imperative do sit used for a complaint.

Similarly, we may make an emphatic negative imperative that places the subject first:
In a school class: “John, don’t speak!”
In a bank robbery: “You all, don’t move!”
On a country walk: “Children, don’t eat the berries!”

Mozibur Ullah · Answer

Instead of:

Everybody Look!

the sentence:

Look, everybody!

And also:

Sit down, John.

Bob Marley used the following as a title of one of his songs:

No woman, no cry.

Meaning:

Don't cry woman.

Word order in a negative imperative sentence

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