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Old 14-Jan-2005, 11:46
azz azz is offline
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azz
Default negative

"Reading no novel is as pleasant as reading this one."
"Meeting nobody is as annoying as meeting you."

Can one use these sentences meaning:
This novel is the most pleasant to read.
You are the most annoying person to meet.
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Old 14-Jan-2005, 12:13
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Default Re: negative

Quote:
Originally Posted by azz
1) "Reading no novel is as pleasant as reading this one."
2) "Meeting nobody is as annoying as meeting you."

Can one use these sentences meaning:
This novel is the most pleasant to read.
You are the most annoying person to meet.
One can't, sorry.
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Old 14-Jan-2005, 12:58
azz azz is offline
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Default Re: negative

But one can say:
Reading no novel is better than reading this one.
Meaning it is better to read no novel than to read this one, right?
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Old 14-Jan-2005, 13:15
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Default Re: negative

Quote:
Originally Posted by azz
But one can say:
Reading no novel is better than reading this one.
Meaning it is better to read no novel than to read this one, right?
Well, semantically, 'no novel' means the novel doesn't exist. That is, 'Reading no novel [a novel that doesn't exist] is better than reading this one.'

Why not try?

Not reading anything at all is better than reading this novel.
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