The teacher said "In English a double negative forms a positive.
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@AlexanderVI @rzeta0 @kibcol1049 disagree. The taught rule is, based on the mathematical rule but it is not actually the case. Even QI klaxoned it! The context defines whether it applies or not.
Admittedly it is seen as poor form and it can usually be avoided but the taught adsolute rule is not correct.
@AlexanderVI @rzeta0 @kibcol1049 even though the article is clear as mud, it does explain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_negative
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@eleder @jack @Wolf_Baginski @kibcol1049
That's opening a totally different can of worm about how to respond to a negative question!!!
"Are you not finishing that?"
Does "yes" means "I will finish it" or "your statement is correct, I will not finish it".
I've learnt recently that French uses "si" (I will finish it) instead of "yes" (your statement is correct, i will not finish it) to answer a negative question. Native French speaker myself, I feel a bit ashamed about not knowing it before.
@Lily_and_frog @eleder @jack @Wolf_Baginski @kibcol1049 German has a word for that, 'doch', which as I understand means something like 'on the contrary' but far less formal (even though it's German) and used specifically for replies to negative questions.
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The teacher said "In English a double negative forms a positive. In some languages, though, such as Russian, a double negative is still a negative. However, there is no language wherein a double positive can form a negative."
A voice from the back of the room piped up, "Yeah, right."@kibcol1049 So nonnegotiable is negotiable? -
@sibrosan @kibcol1049 Insert your poly and non-binary versions.
@lankohr @sibrosan @kibcol1049 A man sends his polygamous wife a text to get the other husband to go to the grocery store for a loaf of bread...
He follows up with "and if they have eggs, get a dozen". The programmer wife returns home with 12 husbands and says: "They had eggs."
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@AlexanderVI @rzeta0 @kibcol1049 sorry but saying the same thing repeatedly do not make it so. Happy to read any evidence supplied.
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@AlexanderVI @rzeta0 @kibcol1049 even though the article is clear as mud, it does explain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_negative
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@lankohr @sibrosan @kibcol1049 A man sends his polygamous wife a text to get the other husband to go to the grocery store for a loaf of bread...
He follows up with "and if they have eggs, get a dozen". The programmer wife returns home with 12 husbands and says: "They had eggs."
@ASprinkleofSage @sibrosan @kibcol1049 It's also polyfunny.
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@Lily_and_frog @eleder @jack @Wolf_Baginski The text book English language rules are different to the current spoken language trends. The meaning is usually clear when spoken even though grammatically incorrect. I feel sorry for non English speakers.
@kibcol1049 @Lily_and_frog @eleder @jack @Wolf_Baginski I was going to say - at least where I’m at in the United States, if someone says in the vernacular “It ain’t no…” that double negative is understood to be a negative.
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@echopapa Im Ruhrpott so: *Ja, ja!* heißt "Leck mich am Ar***
️ In the Ruhr area, we say "Yeah, yeah!" actually means "Kiss my ass"
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@Lily_and_frog @eleder @jack @Wolf_Baginski @kibcol1049 German has a word for that, 'doch', which as I understand means something like 'on the contrary' but far less formal (even though it's German) and used specifically for replies to negative questions.
@wynke @Lily_and_frog @eleder @Wolf_Baginski @kibcol1049 "On the contrary", but in an affirmative way. So to say.
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@wynke @Lily_and_frog @eleder @Wolf_Baginski @kibcol1049 "On the contrary", but in an affirmative way. So to say.
@jack @Lily_and_frog @eleder @Wolf_Baginski @kibcol1049 Yes, that's how I understand it (I'm Dutch, not German).
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The teacher said "In English a double negative forms a positive. In some languages, though, such as Russian, a double negative is still a negative. However, there is no language wherein a double positive can form a negative."
A voice from the back of the room piped up, "Yeah, right."Correction: "There ain't no language..."
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@AlexanderVI @rzeta0 @kibcol1049 disagree. The taught rule is, based on the mathematical rule but it is not actually the case. Even QI klaxoned it! The context defines whether it applies or not.
Admittedly it is seen as poor form and it can usually be avoided but the taught adsolute rule is not correct.
@EF @AlexanderVI @rzeta0 @kibcol1049
"Poor form" is a thing you would say in a different register of English than one where you'd use a double negative, but both are valid, except saying another valid register is "poor form" is kind of dickish.However, linguistics doesn't have AFAIK a marker like the asterisk to put next to an utterance where the speaker is being a dick.
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@AlexanderVI @EF @rzeta0 @kibcol1049 Depends on the definition of education. To me they criticized dumb, blind memorized ... stuff.
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@AlexanderVI @EF @rzeta0 @kibcol1049 Depends on the definition of education. To me they criticized dumb, blind memorized ... stuff.
@AlexanderVI @EF @rzeta0 @kibcol1049 because that would be another brick in the wall.
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@kibcol1049 Also, of course, the usage in Ireland “I will, yeah”
@sinabhfuil. And in every bureaucracy (corporate and public) ever "Sure, OK."
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@echopapa@social.tchncs.d "A Recht host. Schon weilst a Preis bist" (Austrian)
"Your are right, simply because you're Prussian" - sounds positive but means that the other person is neither right nor will they be proved right, simply because they are German. -
@mfeilner @kibcol1049 @chillicampari Then there is "jo" in Norwegian which (among other uses) is a "Yes" that preceeds the other person first affirming and then disagreeing with you in some way.
"Kan jeg ta bussen herfra til Ullevaal?"
"Can I get to Ullevaal from here by bus?"
"Jo, men det er lettere å ta en taxi"
"Yes, but it is easier to take a taxi".
@the_wub @kibcol1049 @chillicampari "Doch!"
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The teacher said "In English a double negative forms a positive. In some languages, though, such as Russian, a double negative is still a negative. However, there is no language wherein a double positive can form a negative."
A voice from the back of the room piped up, "Yeah, right."@kibcol1049 In German it varies from case to case. Emphasis, gestures, facial expressions, comma placement, context, the personal relationship, geographical region or dialect and regional humour - all is playing a role.
"Ja ja" - "yeah yeah" / "yes yes" can be positive but just as easily negative.
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@kibcol1049
First day of English class, prof says that there two words that he never wants to see or hear. One of them is “nice” and the other is lousy. Someone in the back asks, “what are the two words?”@stevewfolds @kibcol1049 thanks. I have appreciated and written a little based on your words
