Ever or Never

**Tdol** · #1 02-Aug-2003, 00:27

Why?

#2 02-Aug-2003, 03:12

Perhaps it's just me, but I use both. I don't know in which instances I use one or the other, but both are correct, and I use both. I don't think one is used more predominately than another with me.

Though, I did vote for "I have never seen it." because it seems more natural to me to use "I've never seen it."

**RonBee** · #3 02-Aug-2003, 22:03

I voted for: "I have never seen it." But I might say "I haven't ever seen it for emphasis.

**Tdol** · #4 09-Aug-2003, 22:20

In spoken language, the same could be achieved with 'never'.

)

**RonBee** · #5 09-Aug-2003, 23:15

I haven't never seen it?

Lib · #6 11-Aug-2003, 20:38

[quote="RonBee"]I haven't never seen it?

That's a double negative ... so if you think about it, it means you have seen it.

**RonBee** · #7 11-Aug-2003, 21:00

"I haven't never seen it" does not mean "I have seen it" (not that I would ever say that).

**Tdol** · #8 11-Aug-2003, 22:06

I think that's a faulty application of numerical logic to language- it is either used because of region, or possibly education, or emphasis, but I cannot agree that the conclusion of 'I ain't got nobody' is to smile and congratulate the lucky person. One case where negatives confused me was the Bob Marley song 'No woman, no cry', which I thought meant 'don't cry though\if you haven't got a woman', rather than 'don't cry, woman', which was what Mr Marley meant.