Subject:
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Re: Dark Gray Tanker
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.fun
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Date:
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Sat, 22 Jan 2000 04:42:48 GMT
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Viewed:
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292 times
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Mike Poindexter wrote:
> Frank Filz <ffilz@mindspring.com> wrote in message
> news:3888BDAD.7AAE@mindspring.com...
> > No, a double negative would be "I wouldn't not use Brasso just because
> > it might dull the parts a bit."
>
> I have never heard anyone use a double negative like that. Almost always, a
> double negative takes form where the don't is in front of the verb, followed
> by the verb and then a second negative in the predicate.
I've heard the above double-negative form used quite often--but it's usually
combined with a modulation or inflection, where the NOT is stressed to set it in
opposition to an assertion made immediately prior, such as:
Person A: "I wouldn't use Brasso, I hear it's got abrasives."
Person B: "Well, I wouldn't *not* use Brasso [just] because it might dull the
parts a bit."
It's all context in that instance, where the need to underscore a point takes
precedence over compositional nicety.
> Here are two examples I have caught our temporary secretary using recently:
>
> "He don't want no money"
> "We don't know nothin."
>
> When our normal secretary is off of maternity leave, I will be blessed again
> to have intelligent help.
It could be worse. She/he/it/they could be using triple (or quadruple!)
negatives in extended sentences, a phenomenon I've seen in print before.
Usually once someone gets beyond two negations it's so convoluted that, once the
sentence is untangled, they're not actually saying what they think they're
saying. Not, of course, that anyone can tell what the originator was intending
to say in the first place.
Unfortunately, when your regular staff is back from maternity leave, you'll have
to deal with "overflow" baby-talk. A new scourge! At least Barney is fading
from view.
best,
Lindsay
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Message has 1 Reply:
Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Dark Gray Tanker
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| Frank Filz <ffilz@mindspring.com> wrote in message news:3888BDAD.7AAE@m...ing.com... (...) I have never heard anyone use a double negative like that. Almost always, a double negative takes form where the don't is in front of the verb, followed by (...) (25 years ago, 21-Jan-00, to lugnet.off-topic.fun)
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