Comments on Word-wise: A new kind of double-negative?

Thank you, everyone, for your comments! (And thank...

2011-11-14T08:58:32.307-05:00

Thank you, everyone, for your comments! (And thank you also for keeping my blog alive when I abandon it for two weeks at a time, as I've done yet again.)

@Jerry: I think you say a mouthful here: "English rules can be laborious and complicated but that is our only declared standard." And thank goodness for that, or I'd be out of a job. :)

@Ben: That is a fantastic example, and it's a good one to include here because it's far more common than "anti-war protester" and the like.

@Ryan: Hmm, good question on the students' part. But I guess it's perfectly acceptable for "Just because" to be the answer on yours! No one ever argued that all English rules make sense all the time.

Hi AnnaLisa, Nice post! I had never considered th...

2011-10-26T19:12:13.170-04:00

Hi AnnaLisa,

Nice post! I had never considered that this could be a double negative, but I'm starting to think that you're right. Although in my day-to-day interactions with my students, the double negatives are much more obviously double negatives and thus much easier to identify as non-standard. I've found that the difficult part is when you explain that "You can't have a double negative in English, even if you can in Spanish," and then someone inevitably replies, "Why?"

"Because, um, well. Huh."

Haha!

Ryan

I find it similar to the difference between "...

2011-10-26T10:54:10.174-04:00

I find it similar to the difference between "I could care less" and "I couldn't care less." When used, the speaker/writer means they don't care, however...

The literal meaning of the former is: "I do care, but I could care less."

The literal meaning of the latter is: "It is impossible for me to care less than I already do."

I try to always use correct English in this case, and I couldn't care less what others choose to use.

I agree! In guttural language we say a lot of thi...

2011-10-25T21:48:22.393-04:00

I agree!

In guttural language we say a lot of things we might never say in an English class simply because what we hear everyday is considered "normal" even if we know it isn't proper.

I believe it is our duty to present our opinion/commentary in commonly accepted English regardless of how well that commentary might be accepted.

"When in doubt, choose proper English." is a great "rule of thumb." Even if nobody else understands, at least you will have placed a solid stake in the ground and it will be everyone else's obligation to challenge the point you have made.

American's appear to have a love affair with improper linguistics simply because they can get away with that revolutionary attitude. On closer observation, however, most young Americans have never been taught proper English or civil ethics. Their's cannot be accepted as a cultural norm. We have a common dialect and all who choose to call themselves American must accept that caveat.

English rules can be laborious and complicated but that is our only declared standard (thus far).

My personal message to anyone who disagrees is very simple; choose where you wish to live then live the life common to that place. Foreigners never define nationality until they adhere to their adopted nation.

Jerry