A famous linguist was giving a lecture and happened to mention the following item:
“In some languages, a double negative reinforces the negative aspect of the statement*; in others, a double negative results in a positive statement. There are, however, no cases in which a double positive yields a negative.”To which a wiseacre in the back row said, “Yeah, yeah.”
Wait! Now a double negative means that a no-no- a yes… er, uh, not, it means a single no-yes, er, ah, yes, a double no-yes would be, uh. hmm. a single double negative, or, ah, uh, er, – this does not, not make no, no sense?“that that is is that that is not is not is not that it it is”punctuate please!
runar over 11 years ago
A famous linguist was giving a lecture and happened to mention the following item:
“In some languages, a double negative reinforces the negative aspect of the statement*; in others, a double negative results in a positive statement. There are, however, no cases in which a double positive yields a negative.”To which a wiseacre in the back row said, “Yeah, yeah.”RonBerg13 Premium Member over 11 years ago
Wait! Now a double negative means that a no-no- a yes… er, uh, not, it means a single no-yes, er, ah, yes, a double no-yes would be, uh. hmm. a single double negative, or, ah, uh, er, – this does not, not make no, no sense?“that that is is that that is not is not is not that it it is”punctuate please!