「じゃない」: negative conjugation of copula 「だ」

[milkmanjack]

From my understanding, when じゃない is attached to a noun, it can be used to mean "not [noun]". However, from what I know of the copula, the rule is that it must be placed at the end of a sentence/clause (and in the case of だ, cannot be used with stative verbs).
If I were to say "学生じゃない人は、「。。。」", the meaning of this clause would mean something to the extent of "not student person." Is the meaning of じゃない supposed to directly modify 学生 to be "non-student"? If so, wouldn't this be a form of noun conjugation and not a form of the copula?
I am currently learning Japanese as a hobby and purely of my own devices, and I'm trying to do it right. I'm sorry if this question has been asked a million times before, but I couldn't think of a search term for it... probably "noun conjugation," maybe.
Thanks!

 

[Mike Cash]

You have stumbled into the single most useful device ever: what in English we do with relative clauses.

Not "not student person" but "person who is not a student".

日本語わからない人

Not "Japanese not understand person" but "person who doesn't understand Japanese."

昨日買った本

Not "yesterday bought book" but "the book (I/you/he/?) bought yesterday."

See?

 

[Toritoribe]

in the case of だ, cannot be used with stative verbs

So, do you mean だ can be used with action/dynamic verbs?

 

[milkmanjack]

what in English we do with relative clauses.

For sure, I thought I understood this concept. In my attempt to respond to this, I realized I was trying to think of the language in more familiar terms, and I think that might be the root of my misunderstanding here.

I think I was trying to think of it as a noun (学生) being made into an adjective of sorts (with じゃやない causing this transition), which was then modifying 人, but if I understand right, it's an entirely separate clause that is modifying 人. Is that accurate?

So, do you mean だ can be used with action/dynamic verbs?

I definitely don't want to imply anything. I just remember reading that it could not specifically be used with stative verbs. My knowledge here is very limited, so if you want to tell me what it can be used with, that'd be great.

 

[Toritoribe]

I think I was trying to think of it as a noun (学生) being made into an adjective of sorts (with じゃやない causing this transition), which was then modifying 人, but if I understand right, it's an entirely separate clause that is modifying 人. Is that accurate?

No. 学生 is treated as a noun. 学生じゃない/学生ではない is the nagative of 学生だ.

学生(noun) + で(a conjugation of だ) + は(particle) + ない(negative suffix)

I definitely don't want to imply anything. I just remember reading that it could not specifically be used with stative verbs. My knowledge here is very limited, so if you want to tell me what it can be used with, that'd be great.

Copula can't be used with any verbs, stative nor action.

 

[Mike Cash]

....if I understand right, it's an entirely separate clause that is modifying 人. Is that accurate?

That is correct. Notice that my examples included clauses formed with both the copula and with verbs.

Learning how to use clauses like this is pretty easy. And it is the single point you can learn which will do the most to expand your ability to express yourself in Japanese. It's importance and utility can not be overstated.