[Grammar] I have little money, do /don't I?

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tyrp

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Hello,
What about tag-questions to the sentences with 'little' / 'few'? Should they be positive or negative?
E.g. I have little money, do I (a) / don't I (b)?
I know 'hardly', 'no' and its compounds (nobody, nothing etc) to call for positive tags, e.g.: I hardly have much money, do I? I have no money, do I?
But the thing with 'little/few' remains a puzzler for me. Can we use both positive and negative tags after such sentences depending on what we stress: the money being very sparse or the fact of our having at least that sparse sum?
Could you help me out, please? Thanks in advance!
 

emsr2d2

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Just because only having a little money has a negative connotation "I have little money" is not a negative sentence. Look at the verb. "I have" is positive so the tag question should be negative.

I have little money, don't I?
I don't have much money, do I?
 

tyrp

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Thanks a lot! Just to put things straight:
He knew little, didn't he? (Right)
He knew little, did he? (Wrong for a traditional tag, possible to express disbelief as with any other positive sentence + positive tag)
Did I get the grasp of it?
 
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emsr2d2

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Yes, you can express disbelief or ask for clarification by using a question tag which matches the positivity or negativity of the opening part. Traditional question tags use the opposite.
 
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