No Double Negatives!

[Nebiros]

One of the most common mistakes in English grammar is a double negative. This irritates me the most of all errors in grammar because it's often an accepted mistake and yet the mistake is sooooo obvious! I'd rather hear profanity than the double negative.

Especially with the term 'aint'. Sure it's not a real word, but it is a slang for haven't or isn't or don't. "I aint got no money" You don't have NO money which means you HAVE money! "You aint seen nothing yet" I have not seen NOTHING yet which means I HAVE seen something.

"There aint nothing in the box" There are many more examples I could give. But it's not strictly for 'aint'. Here are some lines from songs that use the idiotic double negative:

"I don't want no one but you" "I wouldn't have nothing if I didn't have you"

And finally there are the single word double negatives: Misunderestimate and Irregardless. What if somebody misunderstood the person who was saying the double negative? Could you imagine what could happen? Don't the idiot users know that the two negatives cancel each other out?

There will be no use of double negatives in my Library. I'm making it an official rule. If somebody does, they will be asked to rephrase what they said or leave.

[Omphalos]

Im still waiting for my review copy of The Monster of Rok-Rok.

[merkin muffley]

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!








EDIT: I'm going to be in West Virginia by tomorrow afternoon, without the internet or cell phones, sometimes in a canoe. I'm thinking that I might dictate some fan-fic.

[SandRider]

hey, Chigger, you can come from under the bed now - the universe is back on track ....

first off, "misunderestimate" is a "Bushism" .... I could explain that for you, but do your own googling ...


and I could explain to you the cultural evolution of the "double negative" in Southern Dialects,
but, since you're apparently some kind of Language Expert, maybe you could explain it to me ...

also: about the only thing that irritates me more than some jackleg bitching about other people using
the word "ain't" and explaining why it isn't correct grammar is when one of them there fat grey deer
ticks attaches itself to my bunghole ....

[SandChigger]

hey, Chigger, you can come from under the bed now - the universe is back on track ....

Oh, hell, Ole Pah, I weren't under no bed, nor on one, neither, this time a day! I got to watchin' one of them there Nayshunal Gee-oh-graphic spayshuls.

I'd rather hear profanity than the double negative.

OK. What the FUCK is wrong with you, boy? You been spendin' too much time with them goddamned orangs again? One of 'em bite you on the ass and give you some brain fever what's fucked you up good or something?

Especially with the term 'aint'. Sure it's not a real word, but it is a slang for haven't or isn't or don't. "I aint got no money" You don't have NO money which means you HAVE money! "You aint seen nothing yet" I have not seen NOTHING yet which means I HAVE seen something.

It's not "slang", you numbnuts. It's informal and dialectal and it's perfectly FINE in those contexts. Just don't use it in no formal contexts or when writing (anything but dialog in fiction, that is). As a contraction for am not, are not, or is not it's probably originally from London dialect; and as a contraction for has not or have not it derives from dialectal hain't. It was in far more widespread use in the 18th century in both England and North America.

Don't the idiot users know that the two negatives cancel each other out?

Language ain't formal logic, dipshit. Ain't no one never told you that? There are plenty of languages that use double or even triple negatives for EMPHASIS. Russian for example: Ya nichevo nye znayu. "I don't know anything" [lit. I nothing not know]. (MrFlibble will correct me if I'm wrong on that. )

There will be no use of double negatives in my Library. I'm making it an official rule. If somebody does, they will be asked to rephrase what they said or leave.

Well fuck me with a posse of priapic papists, if you ain't just OUT-PRISSED your sissy little self! Boy, reach down into the front of yer britches with both hands and make sure you're still packin', you know what I mean? You're acting like you ain't got ball one in yer bag.

[SandChigger]

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!

Welcome to the Nebbyverse! It's a whacky, good-fun ride!

EDIT: I'm going to be in West Virginia by tomorrow afternoon

Which part? On the New River, by any chance?

[Nebiros]

Double negatives are acceptable and fine in devolved societies. If you can't put it in writing, you should at least try not say it. Profanity should not be accepted because of how unpleasant the atmosphere becomes in a crowd. Double negatives should be discouraged because it's basically saying that you would prefer to be stupid. It's like not finding employment even though it's available.

[SandChigger]

Double negatives are acceptable and fine in devolved societies. If you can't put it in writing, you should at least try not say it. Profanity should not be accepted because of how unpleasant the atmosphere becomes in a crowd. Double negatives should be discouraged because it's basically saying that you would prefer to be stupid. It's like not finding employment even though it's available.

Your linguistic prejudices are as revealing as your fucked-in-the-head opinions about women. You are so full of shit that I can well imagine you squelch when you walk. Devolved societies? WHO & WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, you pompous jungle-dwelling IDIOT? FUCK YOU and those little orange primates your daddy raised you among. How about you just stick to Indonesian and Dutch from now on, ASSWIPE.

[inhuien]

Gaffer, I ain't got no clue.

[merkin muffley]

Which part? On the New River, by any chance?

I'll be at a cabin a half-mile off the Potomac in three directions, near Paw Paw, for the weekend. I'm very excited.

Double negatives are acceptable and fine in devolved societies. If you can't put it in writing, you should at least try not say it. Profanity should not be accepted because of how unpleasant the atmosphere becomes in a crowd. Double negatives should be discouraged because it's basically saying that you would prefer to be stupid. It's like not finding employment even though it's available.

Dude, that is SUCH a Librarian! That is GENIUS. "Devolved societies... how unpleasant the atmosphere becomes in a crowd... Double negatives should be discouraged... not finding employment even though it's available..." That's so fucking in character, it's like Nebiros became a great dramatist writing a monologue for himself in the play of life. I feel like I'm that dude in American Beauty and I just saw a plastic bag floating around, and I burst into tears because it's so fucking beautiful I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in. Because the bag was dancing with me, and shit.

[lotek]

[lotek]

I feel like I'm that dude in American Beauty and I just saw a plastic bag floating around, and I burst into tears because it's so fucking beautiful I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in. Because the bag was dancing with me, and shit.

are you NUTS?
Mentionning American Beauty here after the damage caused by a certain photoshop???

Say it ain't so Merkin please, say it ain't so!

[Eyes High]

OKaaaayyyyy What in the heck was that all about? Talk about coming out of the blue.

One of the most common mistakes in English grammar is a double negative. This irritates me the most of all errors in grammar because it's often an accepted mistake ...

Yeah, it can be irritating sometimes, but I'm not going to go balistic over it. Plus there is a difference between using them in informal dialect and writing them down in business contents. I'm not going to be a grammar nazi (my grammar is too bad for that) as long as I can understand what the person "meant" to say I don't care how he/she says it. If I have doubt then I'll ask for clarification.

Here are some lines from songs that use the idiotic double negative:

"I don't want no one but you" "I wouldn't have nothing if I didn't have you"

They're songs...non't essays. Enjoy them, don't analyis.

And finally there are the single word double negatives: Misunderestimate ....

I've never heard that one. Underestimate I've heard of course, but I can't recall ever hearing someone say misunderestimate.

Hope you day turns out better than it seems to have started out.

[Freakzilla]

This don't make no sense at all!

[Nebiros]

You guys have yet to answer if somebody misunderstood a double negative. Did you know I took a joke seriously once and it led to an awkward moment. I also took sarcasm seriously on two occasions. Double negatives could lead to the same thing.

Here I'll show you:

I ain't got no money. Give me five dollars then.

Jump in there ain't no sharks in there. You must be crazy man!

You ain't seen nothing yet. All right then, I've seen enough. Bye!

You ain't going nowhere. Exactly, I'm not staying here so obviously I'm leaving. See you later!

I don't want no one but you. There is somebody else then?

There ain't nothing in there. (I go in to see what is in there)

Now obviously I've already figured out all these. But what if I misunderstood a double negative I've never heard before in the future?

[merkin muffley]

What if Napoleon was a Sandworm and Wellington was an earthworm?

[Nekhrun]

... what if I misunderstood a double negative I've never heard before in the future?

Then you'll add it to your list no doubt.

[SandChigger]

But what if I misunderstood a double negative I've never heard before in the future?

I seriously can't imagine anyone wanting or even bothering to talk to you, so you probably don't have to worry about it too much.

But just to be safe, why don't you stay in your wonderfully evolved society down there and only interact with others of your own kind?

[Eyes High]

Well it has been my experience that very few people ever use double negatives to state a positive so it might be safe to assume they mean the negative. If unsure then ask. It's better to ask a simple question than to act all high and mighty and turn out to look the fool.

[TheDukester]

[D Pope]

Rarely have I seen a thought so clearly defined with such an economy of words.

[Nekhrun]

Rarely have I seen a thought so clearly defined with such an economy of words.

You're talking about Nebiros right?

[merkin muffley]

Jump in there ain't no sharks in there. You must be crazy man!

Hay! Nebby Youngman? Take my wife... PLEASE. I take my wife everywhere but she finds her way home.

But what if I misunderstood a double negative I've never heard before in the future?

If you misunderstood a double negative you've never heard? You degenerate, devolved, SLUT.

[D Pope]

Rarely have I seen a thought so clearly defined with such an economy of words.

You're talking about Nebiros right?

I wanted to compliment the Dukester.
Nebiros, eh, I hate it when I stub my toe, doubt i'll start a thread about it.

[lotek]

Rarely have I seen a thought so clearly defined with such an economy of words.

Neither have I


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