Negative questions

[Boris Tatarenko]

I don't know why but this question has just popped up in my mind. I haven't found a satisfying answer, that's why I'm asking it here.

How should I answer negative questions?

Don't you want to eat?

1. Yes, I do. (means that the person who is asking the question is wrong because I want to eat)
2. No, I don't. (means that the person is right. I don't want to eat right now)

or

3. Yes, I don't. (means that the person is right because I don't want to eat)
4. No, I do. (means that the person is completely wrong because I actually want to eat something)

It's so awkward because I'm supposed to know such things for sure at my level of English.

 

[GoesStation]

1 and 2 are correct. 3 and 4 are not possible.

 

[Tdol]

I struggle with #1.

 

[emsr2d2]

I would accept 4. If someone said (in context), "Don't you want to eat?", I can certainly imagine saying "No, no! I do! Just not right now". The "No, no" would mean "You're wrong" or "To the contrary". "I do" means "Actually, I do want to eat". However, I would then go on to explain exactly what I mean.

 

[juanitoh]

Even mre critical is this one:

Question: You don't wan't to eat?
My Feeling says:
1. Yes, I do. (means that the person who is asking the question is wrong because I want to eat)
2. No, I don't. (means that the person is right. I don't want to eat right now)

Somehow my logic says completely the opposite:
1. Yes, I do = Yes, I do not want to eat (means that the person is right. I don't want to eat right now)
2. No, I don't. = No, I do not want to not eat (means that the person who is asking the question is wrong because I want to eat)

Are my feelings or my logic saying the truth?

 

[Tdol]

I would go with your feelings.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Don't you want to eat?

As a non-native, I would answer either 'I do want' or 'I don't want' to avoid confusion and misunderstanding.

 

[HaraKiriBlade]

I watched this documentary a few years ago that attempted to explain linguistics differences in eastern and western countries by drawing upon their cultural differences, and it had an interesting take on how and why the East and the West seem to be different in their way of answering negative questions. The dichotomy isn't absolute and I do admit it's an overgeneralization, but there certainly seems to be a tendency.

In eastern countries, answering negative questions would be more like 3 and 4, whereas it would more likely to be 1 and 2 in the western part of the globe. The documentary explains that the difference comes from how they perceive the world.

The easterners see themselves through the eyes of others, so when they are faced with negative questions like the one in this post, their answers are basically, "Yes, you are correct. I don't want to eat" and "No, you are not correct. I do want to eat."

People in the West - again, I am generalizing and can't say this applies to all languages in the western hemisphere - see objects from their own perspectives. (Don't we all, you might ask, and no, this doesn't mean people in the east lack their own perspective, but I think it's a matter of priority here)

So in a way, for them, it doesn't matter what the other person asks. If you want to eat, your answer is always yes regardless of whether the question is positive or negative. Your answer is always a "no" if you do not want to eat, regardless of whether the question is "Do you want to eat?" or "Don't you want to eat?"

 

[Matthew Wai]

In eastern countries, answering negative questions would be more like 3 and 4,

That is the case in my country.

 

[Rover_KE]

... it doesn't matter what the other person asks. If you want to eat, your answer is always yes regardless of whether the question is positive or negative. Your answer is always a "no" if you do not want to eat, regardless of whether the question is "Do you want to eat?" or "Don't you want to eat?"

That sums it up perfectly.

If you want to eat and you say 'no', you're not going to get anything.

 

[J&K Tutoring]

It's important to remember that the possible responses are not equally likely- the asker already strongly suspects that the subject does not want to eat. Negative questions are used to confirm what we already suspect.

In English, we respond to the fact(s). Asians respond to the speaker- they look for a way to say yes as in #1 or #3, although I think most would respond correctly (#1 or #2) to the question as given. They would have more trouble if it were, 'You don't want to eat?'

I approach my (Chinese) students like this: I ask one of them their age. Let's say for example they are 16. Then I write these sentences:

1. 'You're 16, aren't you?' (easy: "Yes, I am.")
2. 'You're not 16, are you?' (again, "Yes, I am.")
3. 'You're 17, aren't you?' (some form of "No, I'm 16.")
4. 'You're not 17, are you?' Here's where they get tripped up: I usually get a "Yes".

 

[juanitoh]

Thank you for your Explanation.

They would have more trouble if it were, 'You don't want to eat?'

Are the correct answers to "You don't want to eat?":
Yes, I do want to eat.
No, I do not want to eat.

?

 

[juanitoh]

That means the conversation: "You don't want to eat?" - "Yes, I do not want to eat." is wrong? Or is it possible too?

 

[juanitoh]

Okay thank you, I would like to sound native.

So if someone asks "You don't want to eat?" I better say "No, I don't want to eat."?

 

[GoesStation]

Everyone will understand you if you just say no or no, thanks. In the exceptional case where you want to contradict the person's assumption, you should add a few words to make sure you're understood.

A: You don't want to eat?
B: As a matter of fact, I wouldn't mind a snack, thanks.​

 

[juanitoh]

Thank you. So let me sum it up:

Question: You don't want to eat?
Answer if I don't want to eat: No, thank you.
Answer if I want to eat: As a matter of fact I am hungry and would like to eat.


Right?

 

[Rover_KE]

The best summation is worth repeating from post #8:

It doesn't matter what the other person asks. If you want to eat, your answer is always yes regardless of whether the question is positive or negative. Your answer is always no if you do not want to eat, regardless of whether the question is "Do you want to eat?" or "Don't you want to eat?"

 

[White Hat]

The best summation is worth repeating from post #8:

Totally agree - just say it as it is. I use the same rule when it comes to answering tag questions.

 

[juanitoh]

But I thought there is a difference if the question is " You don't want to eat?" and "Don't you want to eat?"? Because post #11 tells there is a difference in answering those questions.

 

[juanitoh]

Oh, sorry if I confused someone. Then there is no difference in answering These two negative questions.

I sum it up one more time:

Question: You don't want to eat?" / "Don't you want to eat?"
If I don't want to eat: "No,..."
If I want to eat: "Yes,..."


I hope it's now correct.