Question tag — He is too weak to carry this box...

[man of manners]

Hi!
This is a new thread in which we will discuss some problematic sentences that need suitable question tags.
The sentence is:

He is too weak to carry this box, (isn't - is) he?

Thanks in advance!

 

[man of manners]

I think the answer is "isn't he?".

 

[man of manners]

It is. I see nothing problematic about this.

Some people say that "too..to" negates the sentence or conveys the meaning of negation so they use a positive question tag. Do you agree?

 

[GoesStation]

He is too weak to carry this box, (isn't - is) he?

Someone might use a positive question tag there in certain contexts, maybe prefaced with so: So he's too weak to carry this box, is he? The speaker is expressing disbelief.

 

[SoothingDave]

Better to say that the box is too heavy for him to carry, than to call someone "weak."

 

[man of manners]

Changing the expected polarity of the tag is a common way to suggest disbelief. It is not restricted to ... too ... to ... constructions.

Can I come to conclude that using a positive question tag, if possible, is for showing disbelief as with other sentences as well and not because the "too...to" construction conveys the meaning of negation, which is a misunderstanding, I think?

 

[man of manners]

I think that's what I said.

I just wanted to conclude the whole thread into this sentence. Of course, I am joking. All your opinions are very useful.