debray@sbcs.UUCP (Saumya Debray) (08/06/83)
In fact, double negation does have its place, because English does not follow simple binary logic: thus, "not bad" is not *strictly* equivalent to "good" (if it were, the speaker would have *said* "good"), but means something like "neither bad nor good, but so-so". The double negation can be used to convey more information in this way. Saumya Debray SUNY at Stony Brook
rh@mit-eddie.UUCP (Randy Haskins) (08/10/83)
> In fact, double negation does have its place, > because English does not follow simple binary > logic: thus, "not bad" is not *strictly* > equivalent to "good" (if it were, the speaker > would have *said* "good"), but means something > like "neither bad nor good, but so-so". The double > negation can be used to convey more information in > this way. > > Saumya Debray > SUNY at Stony Brook > Yes, but for some reason, Bill Strunk says not to do this. (In EoS). I don't know, I think it allows more degrees of meaning and makes the language more colorful. Also, it allows sarcasm to be heaped on in large dosages. -- Randwulf (Randy Haskins) genrad!mit-eddie!rh or... rh@mit-ee (via mit-mc)
rehmi@umcp-cs.UUCP (08/11/83)
From: debray@sbcs.UUCP
In fact, double negation does have its place, because English does not
follow simple binary logic: thus, "not bad" is not *strictly* equivalent
to "good" (if it were, the speaker would have *said* "good"), but means
something like "neither bad nor good, but so-so". The double negation
can be used to convey more information in this way.
/* ------------------------------------- */
"not bad" is often used in British as an idiom for 'good' or even
'quite good'. Not only in British either - I know many people here who
use it too.
-Rehmi-
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