There are many common double negatives that are proper English. However, there are positive ways to say exactly the same thing with no confusion. (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘double negatives’
Double Negatives-I don’t disagree
Monday, March 18th, 2013Double, triple and quadruple negatives
Thursday, December 15th, 2011I found my all-time favorite example of a double negative about 15 years ago in the sports section of a newspaper. A Cal Berkeley alumnus had just been traded to an NBA basketball team that had the worst record in the league. Asked about his team’s chances in the upcoming year, he was quoted as saying, “We are going to turn this team around 360 degrees.” Although this is not a double negative, it is a great example of a statement that has the same effect. This alumnus meant to turn the team around 180 degrees. He doubled the negation unintentionally, ignorantly setting the team on the same dismal path as the year before. I was not happy that my alma mater had not produced a basketball player who was not illiterate.
Common double negatives
Monday, December 12th, 2011There are many common double negatives that are proper English. However, there are positive ways to say exactly the same thing with no confusion. (more…)
Double negatives
Friday, December 9th, 2011We all learned in school that we shouldn’t use no double negatives. A double negative is created when two negative terms are used in the same clause. Logically, a double negative resolves to negating a negation; therefore, it resolves to a positive. In other words: (more…)
