Negation is the process that turns an affirmative statement (e.g. "I am American") into its opposite denial (e.g. "I am not American").
2
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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.
2
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4answers
233 views
What's the negative of the nonstandard perfect: “He done eat his breakfast”
In movies I hear a lot of sentences like that in the title of the question spoken mainly by African Americans. As I understand it's the dialect version of the standard Present Perfect. I was wondering ...
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vote
2answers
246 views
Does “not that you would know” make sense in English?
Today I was teasing a colleague of mine who keeps forgetting things.
I said "You forgot because it's Friday today... Well, not that you would not forget any other day". I am not sure if it was ...
6
votes
6answers
508 views
What's the “opposite” of “any more”?
Consider the following sentence:
[This] is not important for the younger generation any more.
Now let's suppose that for some reason I am willing or obliged to use the adjective "unimportant" ...
7
votes
5answers
305 views
“Why can't I see?” or “Why I can't see?”?
Which of the following is correct?
Why can't I see?
Why I can't see?
I am a bit confused, since both have inversion, negation and a "why" in the beginning.
8
votes
1answer
432 views
Is “It won't let me not.” grammatically correct?
I found myself saying the following sentence the other day:
I always fasten my seat belt because my car won't let me not — it starts beeping loudly.
If I were to use allow instead of let, I ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
'To' vs 'in order to' in negative clauses
The answers to this related question suggest that to and in order to are pretty much interchangeable, the former being preferred in informal contexts. My question is about negative clauses.
...
3
votes
4answers
443 views
What exactly does “All Items Not On Sale” mean?
Here's a quote from Bill Bryson's "The Mother Tongue":
Imagine being a foreigner and having to learn ... , that a sign in the
store saying ALL ITEMS NOT ON SALE doesn't mean literally what it ...
3
votes
2answers
383 views
“Does not make changes” or “makes no changes”
I was thinking of using this sentence on my computer program:
This action does not make changes on user's machine.
Just to be sure, I checked Google Translate which suggested:
This action ...
2
votes
3answers
2k views
“Neither” and “either” usage in negative sentence
I would like to make sure I understood the usage of these:
Do you want A or B?
I do not want either. [none of them]
I want neither. [Can I say that?]
2
votes
1answer
2k views
“There is no point in” or “There is not a point in”
I was thinking about these negations. Do these mean the same thing?
There is no point in ...
There is not a point in ...
or:
I have no clue
I do not have any clue
etc.
2
votes
3answers
908 views
The word “but” used as negation
I would like to know the grammatical term for using the word but in the following context:
John speaks loudly, but he's a nice guy.
The word but is used to signify a negation, to create ...
2
votes
2answers
153 views
“I have nothing” vs “I give nothing” [closed]
Today I was told that "I give nothing to..." cannot be used as "nothing" does not exist and so I cannot give it. But don't you often say "I have nothing to do"? How come that in this case it works, ...
5
votes
1answer
386 views
“I give nothing to no-one” or “I do not give anything to anyone”
I have a bit of an issue with negations. Are the following correct?
I do not give anything to anyone //I guess this is correct
I give nothing to no-one //can I say that?
Generally, is it the same ...
4
votes
2answers
1k views
“Seems to be not X” vs. “seems to not be X”
Which one of these two sentences is written correctly?
This test data seems to be not good.
This test data seems to not be good.
Better yet if you could explain as to why the correct ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
“I don't think so” vs. “I think not”
I've recently been told that "I don't think so" is, in the U.S.A., a southernism, whereas "I think not" is considered more acceptable everywhere else. Is this true?
Example:
Q: Is your wrist ...
1
vote
3answers
572 views
Difference between “unlikeable” and “dislikeable”?
Is there a difference between unlikeable and dislikeable? It feels like there is, but I'm uncertain how to explain it.
6
votes
3answers
4k views
What is the opposite of “enroll”?
Deenroll? Unenroll? I understand words like cancel and resign would work, but is there an appropriate antonym with "enroll" in it?
5
votes
2answers
495 views
How do “need” and “not” mix and match?
You don't need to play
You need to not play
You need not play
You needn't play
You need not to play
What does each of these mean, and which ones are equivalent to the others?
Is the meaning of the ...
4
votes
4answers
504 views
What's the distinction between “nonessential” and “inessential”?
I'm revising a text that uses the word "nonessential", but my ear is telling me "inessential." Usually when there are two very similar words like this, there is some subtle (or not so subtle) ...
1
vote
1answer
829 views
Negative of “shall” [closed]
I really wonder if there is a negative of shall. I've heard something like shan't. For example I shan't or Shall we go to the cinema? No, I shan't. I don't know whether this usage is correct or not.
2
votes
4answers
651 views
What is the meaning of “ought not”?
Consider this example:
A few strong branches over water reach for what they ought not reach.
Which of the meanings comes closest to “ought not” in this sentence?
Is it “doesn't have to”, “should ...
3
votes
3answers
345 views
Adjective describing possession by someone else
Is there any adjective in English that would describe a quality of belonging or being in the possession of someone else who is not the speaker?
In short, what adjective would you substitute for the ...
9
votes
1answer
1k views
Negative questions vs positive questions
I'd like to know if negative questions are used very often in English. For example, in Spanish, negative questions are used very often just to offer something, to ask about something you're not sure, ...
1
vote
0answers
354 views
“My love don't cost a thing” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
The grammaticality of “that don't impress me much”
In the Jennifer Lopez song "My Love Don't Cost a Thing" she says:
My love don't cost a thing
...
1
vote
4answers
937 views
Using “any” with positive sentence [closed]
Everyone can do it.
Nobody can do it.
The both sentences are very clear. I understand what they mean.
Anyone can do it
But I feel a little confused about this sentence. What does it mean?
...
0
votes
1answer
449 views
Rules for 'no' and 'not' [closed]
Can anyone elucidate a comprehensive list of rules regarding the usage of 'no' and 'not'? I've found rules of thumb, such as 'no' for nouns and 'not' for everything else, but then there's the case of ...
4
votes
4answers
640 views
“The world is not dangerous because of those who do harm but because of those who look at it without doing anything”
Yes, this is the original quote from Albert Einstein.
I tend to put it this way:
The world is dangerous not because of those who do harm but because of
those who look at it without doing ...
2
votes
2answers
203 views
Is this correct grammar — “which feature in C/C++ don't you like?”
The question in question is this:
Which feature in C/C++ don't you like?
Just wanted to know if that is proper way of asking. Not sure if "don't you like" is the right way there.
7
votes
4answers
328 views
Why can't one be “trepid”?
Why can one be intrepid but not trepid? The Free Dictionary and Merriam-Webster show it as a word, but my spell-checker doesn't. Why can't someone be trepid, despite the fact that one can feel ...
2
votes
2answers
686 views
“Haven't you got X ?” or “Don't you have X ?”
In British English negative questions with the verb have (when it's a lexical verb and not an auxiliary) can be formed in two ways. Is there any difference between them?
Type 1
Haven't I got your ...
1
vote
3answers
199 views
Is “non-freedom” correct?
I need to write something like
Students were silenced because of social media posts: a case of non-freedom.
That isn't the exact context, but I need to know if non-freedom is correct.
6
votes
6answers
421 views
Meaning of “No, yes …”
I'm not sure if this is something only Americans say, but it has confused me for a long time. If someone is asked a question why do some people respond with something like, "No, yes it was"? What does ...
2
votes
4answers
330 views
He didn't go to the store, but to the gym
To say that he went to the gym and did not go to the store, is it OK to say, "He didn't go to the store, but to the gym"?
It seems that this would mean, "He didn't go to the store, but [he didn't ...
6
votes
2answers
738 views
Is “will never have been” valid English?
I was reading this phrase "will never have been" and I was wondering what grammatical structure does it belong to / is it grammatical? I'm not sure why but it sounds weird.
What is the difference ...
3
votes
1answer
129 views
Why must “not” frequently be paired with “do”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
English questions and negation with do in syntax
I've always wondered why English insists on pairing not with do, when negating an action. For example, you say:
I ...
5
votes
4answers
768 views
Contraction of “is not”
How exactly can you contract the phrase "is not"?
More specifically, what's the difference between the sentences, "The dog isn't running." and "The dog's not running."?
They both sound correct to ...
2
votes
3answers
1k views
Is “uncomplete” a word? [closed]
Or would I just use incomplete? Would there be any instance that one would uncomplete?
2
votes
1answer
178 views
Double 'not' in questions - how is it correct?
Suppose the following sentence:
"Aren't the headers not covered by copyright?"
Is this sentence correct?
1
vote
3answers
87 views
How much is he keen not to do something when he’s saying “I do never – if I can help it”?
I guess ‘if I can help it’ is a kind of ‘if possible’. It seems help means to prevent or avoid.
By the way, how much are the speakers keen not to do something in the following sentences? I can’t ...
1
vote
3answers
582 views
“All X are not made equal” - ambiguous meaning?
A phrase commonly heard in English (at least informal English) is something like the following:
Well, this car is good, but all cars are not made equal!
This would be commonly understood by most ...
0
votes
2answers
563 views
Do “asymmetric” and “dissymmetric” have different meaning?
I get that usually a- (or un-) and di- prefixes mean different things, e.g. uninterested and disinterested. However, both asymmetric and dissymmetric refer to the lack of symmetry (which the NOAD ...
2
votes
4answers
927 views
“I don't think you X” versus “I think you don't X”
Consider the following two sentences:
I don't think you love your father.
I think you don't love your father.
Is the second sentence correct? I was taught it is wrong.
3
votes
6answers
552 views
Antonym of the verb “complete”
I have an action on a web form. It's a button whose action is to complete a case.
I need to name another button, and I want to use a verb that conveys the meaning of "undo the completion" of this ...
4
votes
8answers
687 views
Express an ability not to do something
How would I express my ability not to do something?
"I cannot dig" means that I definitely cannot dig. But how do I express my ability not to dig? The first thing that comes to my mind is "I am able ...
3
votes
1answer
221 views
Is litotes merely negation or more? [closed]
I came across the figure of speech litotes and it seems that it is the use of a negative to mean and emphasise the opposite. Now, take the following examples:
"I just tried the soup. It's not the ...
3
votes
2answers
185 views
Use of ‘or’ when it means ‘and’ in negatives [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How does negation affect the use and understanding of “or” and “and”
If I want to negate a sentence such as
I like beer and whiskey. [Most ...
3
votes
2answers
1k views
What exactly is meant by “This is not to say it's not a bad system”?
Someone on a forum wrote
This is not to say it's not a bad system.
With some context,
This is not a component system. This is not to say it's not a bad system, but in this case you should be ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views
“can't see neither A nor B” or “can see neither A nor B” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Still confused with “neither…nor…”
...can't see neither A nor B.
Is that grammatically correct?
Or is this?
...can see neither A nor ...
2
votes
4answers
4k views
“Uncapable” or “incapable”?
In Microsoft Word, uncapable is marked as wrong. It sounded pretty alright to me, thus, I checked it up on the Web and found that many dictionaries do not have "uncapable" in their entries, but ...
