Apart from being annoying (I use this word quite a lot these days don't I?) trying to figure out double negatives, why are they wrong? I mean grammatically?
Because they don't really make sense. Two negatives put together is actually a positive. Eg 'I aint got nothing' or 'I haven't got nothing' Means you do have something. D'you get it?
hema- :-D that's funny. I thought you'd know love, what with being an English graduate and teacher?
Anyway here's what i found out:
*A double negative occurs when two forms of negation are used in the same sentence. In some languages (or varieties of a language) negative forms are consistently used throughout the sentence to express a single negation, while in others a double negative is used to negate a negation and therefore resolves to a positive.
* The usage of double negatives is not considered proper or standard in English.
* Although they are not used in standard English, double negatives are used in various American English dialects, including African American Vernacular English, and the East London Cockney and East Anglian dialects.
* Double negative can be used for emphasis e.g. "We will never surrender, not now, not ever" but they must be separated by a comma. It can also be used for emphasis thus: "I don't disagree" which ould be said to mean "I certainly agree" if stated in an affirmative manner or if stated in a cautious manner, it can be used to mean "there is no mistake in what you say, but there is more to it than that." By denying its opposite, the double negation cancels itself out and resolves to a positive. The effect can differ depending on context.
Similarly, the phrase "Mr. Jones was not incompetent" may be used to mean either "Mr. Jones was very competent" or "Mr. Jones was competent, but not brilliantly so."
i did know! that was the point, the double negatives cancel each other out. noone understand my sense of humour. i think from now on i'll just talk to the mirror instead :)
it's a good point about it being used in some dialects such as black english vernacular. i think it's seen as part of the insider's langauge, much like some slang terms are to the youth. i'm not in touch of with such slang terms anymore. and your sister uses a lot of text langauge it takes me ages to decipher. do you think we're becoming old
Ah! You see though hema I thought you were using street language hence I didn't think your statement was a positive i.e. you DO have an idea. :-)
Anonymouse: I don't go on Paltalk, I went on a few months ago but only for the AlKauthar revision sessions then I got rid of Paltalk. Saabirah's not my real name by the way.
8 comments:
Because they don't really make sense. Two negatives put together is actually a positive. Eg 'I aint got nothing' or 'I haven't got nothing' Means you do have something. D'you get it?
i ain't go no idea
is this for your sisters coursework?
hema- :-D that's funny. I thought you'd know love, what with being an English graduate and teacher?
Anyway here's what i found out:
*A double negative occurs when two forms of negation are used in the same sentence. In some languages (or varieties of a language) negative forms are consistently used throughout the sentence to express a single negation, while in others a double negative is used to negate a negation and therefore resolves to a positive.
* The usage of double negatives is not considered proper or standard in English.
* Although they are not used in standard English, double negatives are used in various American English dialects, including African American Vernacular English, and the East London Cockney and East Anglian dialects.
* Double negative can be used for emphasis e.g. "We will never surrender, not now, not ever" but they must be separated by a comma. It can also be used for emphasis thus: "I don't disagree" which ould be said to mean "I certainly agree" if stated in an affirmative manner or if stated in a cautious manner, it can be used to mean "there is no mistake in what you say, but there is more to it than that." By denying its opposite, the double negation cancels itself out and resolves to a positive. The effect can differ depending on context.
Similarly, the phrase "Mr. Jones was not incompetent" may be used to mean either "Mr. Jones was very competent" or "Mr. Jones was competent, but not brilliantly so."
i did know! that was the point, the double negatives cancel each other out. noone understand my sense of humour. i think from now on i'll just talk to the mirror instead :)
it's a good point about it being used in some dialects such as black english vernacular. i think it's seen as part of the insider's langauge, much like some slang terms are to the youth. i'm not in touch of with such slang terms anymore. and your sister uses a lot of text langauge it takes me ages to decipher. do you think we're becoming old
Ummmmmmm, totally and utterly unrelated... but do you ever go on PalTalk, and if so, is your nickname also "saabirah" on there?
Ah! You see though hema I thought you were using street language hence I didn't think your statement was a positive i.e. you DO have an idea. :-)
Anonymouse: I don't go on Paltalk, I went on a few months ago but only for the AlKauthar revision sessions then I got rid of Paltalk. Saabirah's not my real name by the way.
AOA Saabirah,
***The usage of double negatives is not considered proper or standard in English ***
hihi, tell that to the cockneys, who always know better english then other people living in or visiting their areas.
Sheila
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