doesn't sound too unnatural to me

Status
Not open for further replies.

Winwin2011

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2011
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Hong Kong
Current Location
Hong Kong
QUOTE=5jj;1011002]I was recommended a book doesn't sound too unnatural to me.

Somebody gave a book to me - I was given a book.
Somebody recommended a book to me - I was recommended a book.
[/QUOTE]

What does "doesn't sound too unnatural " mean in the above sentence?

Thanks.
 

Rover_KE

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
The deliberate double negative is used to show that 5jj thinks the sentence is acceptable.
 

Winwin2011

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2011
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Hong Kong
Current Location
Hong Kong
The deliberate double negative is used to show that 5jj thinks the sentence is acceptable.

Thanks Rover.

"It wasn't uninteresting" equals to "It was interesting". It seems that "It was interesting" is more simplier than a double negative. Why do we use double negative ?
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
Thanks Rover.

"It wasn't uninteresting" equals to "It was interesting". It seems that "It was interesting" is more simplier than a double negative. Why do we use double negative ?

No, "It wasn't uninteresting" suggests that while not being particularly fascinating, it was not completely without some points of interest.
 

Winwin2011

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2011
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Hong Kong
Current Location
Hong Kong
No, "It wasn't uninteresting" suggests that while not being particularly fascinating, it was not completely without some points of interest.

Thanks, bhai.

Does "I can’t get no satisfaction" have the same meaning of "I can’t get any satisfaction."?
 

Rover_KE

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
Why do we use double negatives?

It's sometimes a neat way of not giving something complete approval or of implying certain reservations.

'She's not unlike her mother' (she has some features or characteristics similar to her mother's).

'I don't entirely disapprove of my daughter's tattoo' (it's been tastefully done but I wish it was out of sight'.

Does "I can’t get no satisfaction" have the same meaning as "I can’t get any satisfaction"?

Yes.
 

UM Chakma

Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2013
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Bengali; Bangla
Home Country
Bangladesh
Current Location
Singapore
"I can't get no satisfaction" and "I can't get any satisfaction". I have read number of times to get the meaning. Although Rover's answer was "yes", I feel that both don't have the same meaning. I know I am wrong but I just cannot think that both have the same meaning. I have showed what I can mean below.

I can't get no satisfaction = I can get satisfaction. This is what I mean the meaning both have.

Let me give you more contexts.

"I haven't no food." The meaning I can get from this context is "I have food".

And I think this is not unrelated question that I have raised.
 

SoothingDave

VIP Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
"I can't get no satisfaction" and "I can't get any satisfaction". I have read number of times to get the meaning. Although Rover's answer was "yes", I feel that both don't have the same meaning. I know I am wrong but I just cannot think that both have the same meaning. I have showed what I can mean below.

I can't get no satisfaction = I can get satisfaction. This is what I mean the meaning both have.

Let me give you more contexts.

"I haven't no food." The meaning I can get from this context is "I have food".

And I think this is not unrelated question that I have raised.

You have to realize that the logical analysis of two negatives cancelling out to create a positive does not always apply to slang.

Many native speakers use double negatives to emphasize the negativity rather than to cancel it out. Or simply because they are not concerned with grammar rules.

They can't get no satisfaction. They ain't seen nothing yet.
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
"I can't get no satisfaction" and "I can't get any satisfaction". I have read number of times to get the meaning. Although Rover's answer was "yes", I feel that both don't have the same meaning. I know I am wrong but I just cannot think that both have the same meaning.
Despite what logic tells us, some native speakers of English use a double negative as a reinforcement of a negative. This may be generally considered substandard, but most of us understand the intended meaning.

(later) I see Dave beat me to it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top