![]() It’s a word that conveys a disagreement or a rejection of a concept. ![]() What’s a negative word?Ī negative word isn’t very complex. But in this case, that’s completely correct and a normal thing to say.Įven though in English, double negatives are considered “bad grammar,” lots of people still use them, unintentionally and intentionally. If you’re saying “there isn’t a problem,” and you say, “No hay ningún problema,” that’s a double negative (e.i., no hay ningún problema). In other languages though, they aren’t always considered incorrect. ![]() So, just because they’re not “grammatically correct” according to American English standards, that doesn’t change the fact that they’re commonly used and useful. This can happen in nearly any language, but it’s pretty common in American and British English (as well as other dialects).įor example, double negatives are used often in dialects like African American Vernacular English ( AAVE ) or Southern American English. When you use a double negative, you actually end up expressing the opposite meaning of what you intended. “Hound Dog” is one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll,” but it certainly didn’t set a good example for proper grammar.A double negative refers to two negative words in a sentence. Then, there’s Marvin Gaye’s rendition of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and Bill Wither’s “Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone.” And, Elvis Presley, breaks all the rules with his iconic 1952 song “Hound Dog” that goes like this: And, Pink Floyd’s 1979 rock opera The Wall featured these lyrics in the song “Another Brick in the Wall”: The most well know double-negative song is the Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” released in 1965. In fact, the English language used them too until 1762 when Bishop Robert Lowth wrote in A Short Introduction to English Grammar with Critical Notes that they were no longer acceptable. You might, for example, say: “I don’t regret not going to my high-school reunion,” which really means “I’m really glad I didn’t go to the reunion.” Dialectĭouble negatives are common in other languages. A litotes is “a figure of speech that uses understatement to emphasize a point by stating a negative to further affirm a positive,” and they often incorporate double negatives for this effect. Occasionally, a double negative can be used in a subtle and indirect way to express a positive idea. The solution? Use one or the other, just not both together. ![]() What’s wrong with it? The “not” inside the word cannot and the “but” both express negative ideas. Ī common double negative (that doesn’t look like one) is the phrase cannot help but. The implied meaning is “he can hardly wait for the game to begin,” (and this would be the correct way to write this sentence too!) The literal meaning is “he can wait for the game.” Some sneaky double negatives. Take, for example, the sentence: He can’t hardly wait for the game to begin. Negative adverbs are words like barely, seldom, hardly, rarely, and scarcely. Even though they don’t have “no,” they still have a negative connotation. Negative adverbs are sneaky negative modifiers because they aren’t “no” words. Write smarter with our thesaurus-powered Grammar Coach™! Get spelling help, synonyms suggestions, grammar check and more! Sign up now! What is a negative adverb? How would you rewrite the sentence: I didn’t want to live nowhere else? (Hint: The modifier is no again.)
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