Negation is the process that turns an affirmative statement (e.g. "I am American") into its opposite denial (e.g. "I am not American").
4
votes
2answers
565 views
“I won't” vs. “I'll not”
I won’t and I’ll not are both short forms of I will not. Both are used in English.
Are there any situations where one is preferred over other?
3
votes
1answer
585 views
When should we use proximity rule in “either/or”, and “neither/nor”?
According to this link, if at least one of the nouns involved is plural then it should take the plural form of the verb. Otherwise, it should take the singular form of the verb. But in the last part ...
2
votes
2answers
202 views
Does double negation turn “neither” into “either”?
Peter Guess posted tongue twister with a construct where something occurs that creates what looks like a paradox to me.
neither either...or...or nor neither...nor...nor are either particularly ...
2
votes
1answer
944 views
“I haven't got” vs. “I don't have”
Which is the correct way of saying this in English?
I haven't got any money.
I don't have any money.
If both are correct, which is the difference between them?
-2
votes
1answer
318 views
“No, I don't” or “No, I do not” in responding English questions
Consider:
A: Do you like ice cream?
B: No, I don't.
Usually in a grammar book when you answer someone's question with negation you'll use shortened answer as in "I don't". I know you can ...
8
votes
1answer
124 views
How was “ben't” used, and when did it cease to be used?
In Jane Austen's The Watsons, the maid of the titular family utters the following sentence:
"Please, ma'am, master wants to know why he ben't to have his dinner?"
I have never encountered ben't ...
2
votes
2answers
564 views
“You have nothing to do” - “Yes I do” / “Yes I don't” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When a negative question is asked, what is the grammatically correct way to answer?
How to answer a negative question without ambiguity?
If someone says "You have ...
-4
votes
2answers
226 views
“His hopes had not materialized”/“have not materialized”/“have not been materialized”
Which one is preferable in following sentence?
His hopes of getting through the I.A.S. had not materialized till today's date.
His hopes of getting through the I.A.S. have not materialized ...
2
votes
1answer
296 views
“Is it not raining” vs. “Isn't it raining”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Tag Questions “is he not”
Which is correct:
Is it not raining today?
Isn't it raining today?
2
votes
3answers
2k views
“Can’t help but” vs. “can help but”
Is "can’t help but" considered to be a confused mix of the expressions "can but" and "can’t help"? If not, what is the difference between "can help but" and "can’t help but"?
3
votes
3answers
489 views
“I ain’t gonna give nobody none of my jelly roll” (Armstrong, 1958) [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is there a rule about double negations that aren't meant as double negations (e.g. “We don't need no education”)?
“I give nothing to no-one” ...
0
votes
4answers
172 views
Austin fragment: “sane and undivorced”
for (Christian) marrying, it is essential that I should not be already
married with a wife living, sane and "undivorced", and so on (Austin, 1962)
If "undivorced" implies married, what does ...
2
votes
1answer
2k views
When to use “cannot” versus “can't”?
When is it best to write "can't" versus writing "cannot"? Are they interchangeable in every situation?
0
votes
1answer
989 views
“I don't know nothing” vs “I don't know anything” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is there a rule about double negations that aren't meant as double negations (e.g. “We don't need no education”)?
Double negation
I'm not a native ...
1
vote
1answer
142 views
“Who cares [if/that] it [is/isn't] true” — which to use when?
Imagine the following scenario:
Person A: I love this movie so much! The story is so beautiful!
Person B: Well, the story isn't true.
Now, person A has a few options in how to follow the ...
8
votes
3answers
507 views
Using “non-” to prefix a two-word phrase
Does "non-" prefixed to a two word phrase permit another hyphen before the second word?
If I want to refer to an entity which is defined as the negation of another entity by attaching "non-" it seems ...
3
votes
3answers
568 views
“Never saw” versus “didn't ever see”
Do these sentences have different meanings?
I never saw such a thing.
I didn't ever see such a thing.
I never saw him dancing.
I didn't ever see him dancing.
My ...
23
votes
8answers
967 views
Are “disgraceful” and “ungraceful” two different kinds of negations?
"Disgraceful" and "ungraceful" are both derived from negations of "graceful".
Wiktionary describes disgraceful as
bringing or warranting disgrace; shameful.
giving offense to moral sensibilities ...
4
votes
1answer
195 views
Is this correct: “…to all avail”?
Many of you have probably heard the phrase "to no avail", as in "I tried to talk them out of it to no avail." (Which means I tried to talk them out of something but failed to do so).
However, I was ...
42
votes
6answers
3k views
Please, don't - I'm not
“Please, don't mock me.”
“Oh, no, I don't! I’m not! I'm completely serious about that.”
This is a correction I received from a proofreader of my story.
How does that work? What happens here so ...
2
votes
2answers
175 views
Not always + inversion? [closed]
My neighbour's little son (they are from UK) asked me for something, saying that he wants it and hence he will get.
I realized I do not know how to say that correctly (for the first one I used ...
3
votes
2answers
520 views
“Allows not” vs. “does not allow”
Which should I use: allows not or does not allow?
Can I use both?
Are there verbs that does not allow the two forms?
3
votes
2answers
132 views
“Nobody ever joined” vs “Nobody joined at all” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Usage of “ever” in a negative statement
Yesterday I read a discussion here and I still cannot figure it out. What is the difference between the following:
...
2
votes
3answers
327 views
Usage of “ever” in a negative statement
I know that "ever" can be used to express the strengthened negation but would it work like that?
I created a session but nobody ever joined.
Is it possible? It does not sound right to me. If ...
9
votes
2answers
192 views
Do the tug of war rules have a typo? (“Or” vs. “nor”)
The Official Tug of War Rules (link is PDF, here is Google quickview link) say:
The rope must not be less than 10 centimetres (100 mm), or more than
12.5 centimetres (125 mm) in circumference... ...
-1
votes
5answers
5k views
Usage of the phrase “couldn't help myself” [closed]
I am getting confused at the usage of the phrase "couldn't help myself."
For example, let's say I played soccer in the evening. What should I say?
I couldn't help myself from not playing soccer.
...
1
vote
4answers
181 views
“Can take no other” vs. “can't take other”
As an ESL I'm not sure if I can use the following sentences:
You can take no other directions.
I'm using it on giving indications to a foreigner.
Should I use instead:
You can't take other ...
0
votes
3answers
194 views
“Yet” to imply negative?
Yet few colleges and universities have taken sufficient account...
Does the sentence above imply a negative/opposite meaning? e.g:
Few colleges and universities haven't taken sufficient ...
0
votes
1answer
141 views
Please provide me correct interpretation of this sentence [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How does negation affect the use and understanding of “or” and “and”
A's girlfriend doesn't like movies or Roses.
What would be the correct ...
4
votes
3answers
352 views
Why “no” rather than “not” in “Life is no Nintendo game”?
I've just seen this sentence on the internet...
You don't get another chance. Life is no Nintendo game.
If I had to say something like that, I would say "Life is not a Nintendo game."
Why did ...
0
votes
1answer
69 views
Does “there is doubt whether it will not …” confuse the meaning of this sentence?
I was interested in the following sentence which appeared in an article titled “FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.; PUBLIC FEELING IN CHARLESTON THE LEADING MEN IN THE SECESSION MOVEMENT MISGIVINGS ABOUT THE ...
3
votes
2answers
351 views
Is this correct: “Of [something] I have but none”?
This might be a pretty weird question, given that I'm using awkward grammar. Take into account that I'm trying to play with the language.
The question is, would the following be correct?
Of milk ...
3
votes
1answer
184 views
Intentional double negation
Is there a name for this manner of purposely speaking in double negatives, e.g.
I wouldn't say no to a cup of tea!
I've noticed it as a habit of some people, perhaps often going along with a ...
0
votes
2answers
897 views
Is it not that big a deal vs No big deal
I was just checking an advanced grammar and learned that the following is possible:
It is not that big a deal
1) The book says I cannot skip the article. But how come in "ordinary" version there ...
2
votes
1answer
990 views
“Cannot help but think” vs. “cannot but think” vs. “cannot help thinking”
Which of the following are grammatical?
I cannot help but think.
I cannot but think.
I cannot help thinking.
I was taught (1) is not correct. Is it true? Or are they all correct? ...
3
votes
4answers
259 views
Can you negate a positive without implying the opposite?
I often stumble over the fact that in English, apparently, we imply the reverse when we negate a positive. For example,
That wasn't very good. [⇒ That was bad.]
That wasn't bad. [⇒ That was ...
3
votes
1answer
5k views
“There is no problem” or “there isn't any problem” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“There is no point in” or “There is not a point in”
What's the difference between there is no problem and there isn't any problem? Are they both ...
7
votes
3answers
1k views
Difference between “I haven't” and “I've not” etc
If I have three consecutive words where each adjacent pair can be contracted, e.g. "I would have" or "You are not", is there a difference between the two possible contractions, e.g. "I would've" or ...
3
votes
5answers
3k views
“There isn't” vs. “there's not”
They both expand to "there is not" but for some reason "There's not" sounds indescribably uncomfortable for most situations. Can anyone elucidate why this might be? Or am I wrong?
EDIT: Let me ...
5
votes
3answers
240 views
On the expression “no [noun 1] or any [noun 2]”
I have often seen the following expressions:
[ex.] 1. I have no allergies or any medical issues.
2. John serves a chicken with no sauce or any kind of seasoning.
I suspect that such a use is ...
5
votes
2answers
797 views
Tag Questions “is he not”
"He is happy, isn't he?"
If you did not use the contraction isn't he, in the question above, would the correct sentence be:
"He is happy, is he not?"
"He is happy, is not he?"
Sentence #1 seems ...
1
vote
3answers
316 views
'I don't like fish.' 'Me, too.' Is this natural? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Can “me, too” be used to reply to a negative statement?
'I don't like fish.' 'Me, too.' Is this sentence natural or unnatural?
I mean not the grammatical ...
4
votes
4answers
465 views
Can “me, too” be used to reply to a negative statement?
A: I can't understand why my parents keep me from buying fast food.
B: Me, too. It's delicious.
Does B's answer sound natural?
In Korea, we usually teach that we should use 'me, neither' in ...
4
votes
5answers
193 views
Negative in a question with various negative valence words
so I was walking to a very nice place in Berlin today only to find it empty yet again. I was asking myself why this is... and now I am confused.
Which of the following forms of asking are correct? ...
3
votes
1answer
857 views
Is there a difference in meaning between “does not seem to” and “seems not to”?
Consider the following sentences:
Try not to be alarmed if a rule doesn’t seem to work for a specific sentence.
Try not to be alarmed if a rule seems not to work for a specific sentence.
...
1
vote
2answers
201 views
What is the proper way to punctuate “but no”?
I'm trying to figure out the proper usage and punctuation of "but no". I think it's one of the following:
You figure I would have made at least one post about Arthur C. Clarke’s “2010” during ...
0
votes
4answers
309 views
Which of these sentences use proper grammar?
Unfortunately, there currently is not a way to make it default to a lower resolution.
Unfortunately, there is currently not a way to make it default to a lower resolution.
Unfortunately, ...
3
votes
1answer
1k views
Question tags — “did you” vs. “didn't you”
Typically, when we ask for confirmation/denial of a statement, we say something like the following:
We turn left here, don't we?
You have a cat, don't you?
We've met before, haven't we?
...
1
vote
2answers
626 views
When to use 'no good'; when to use 'not good'? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the difference between “no” and “not”?
there is a question always confusing me. Is it 'no good' or 'not good'? How do I use them? I guess ...
2
votes
2answers
3k views
What is the difference between “no” and “not”? [closed]
What is the difference between "no" and "not"?
We know that "no" and "not" have the same meaning.
I'm studying English. I hope to get help.
Sorry for my language.
