[Grammar] I don't think "negative sentence"

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kwfine

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Feb 3, 2008
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Dear teachers,

Here is the dialogue between Peter and David:
Peter: "Mary doesn't know how to speak Japanese"
David: "I don't think she doesn't know Japanese. Her mother is a Japanese."

I am not sure if this is a correct sentence:
1. I don't think she doesn't know Japanese.


Thank you.

Kitty
 

5jj

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It's fine, though I think, "Oh, I think she does know Japanese is more likely.

Actually the dialogue sounds more natural as:

P: Mary can't speak Japanese.
D: I think she can. Her mother is [STRIKE]a[/STRIKE] Japanese.


'A Japanese' is not incorrect, but we would normally use 'Japanes' as an adjective, not a noun', after BE.
 
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