hardly / neither

[Verona_82]

Hello,

I'm not quite sure if 'neither' is the correct word in this short dialogue:

- I can hardly see that man out there.
- Neither can I.

Does 'hardly" make the sentence a negative one? The speaker does see the figure, after all (although with great difficulty) :-?.

I'd be grateful for help.
Thank you.

 

[SirGod]

*Not a teacher

Neither is correctly used in that dialogue. Hardly is a negative word (adverb). The speaker does indeed see the man.

 

[Raymott]

*Not a teacher

Neither is correctly used in that dialogue. Hardly is a negative word (adverb). The speaker does indeed see the man.

Are you sure? Your answer is not logical. If the person "does indeed see the man" (which I agree with) how is "Neither can I?" a proper answer - given that one can conclude that the second person can also see the man?

To me, neither "Neither can I" nor "So can I" sound right. I'd say, "Me too", which can be used for both positive and negative sentences - even though it doesn't sound as formal as the other two phrases.

 

[5jj]

Are you sure? Your answer is not logical. If the person "does indeed see the man" (which I agree with) how is "Neither can I?" a proper answer - given that one can conclude that the second person can also see the man?

To me, neither "Neither can I" nor "So can I" sound right. I'd say, "Me too", which can be used for both positive and negative sentences - even though it doesn't sound as formal as the other two phrases.

I share the doubts in your first paragraph, but 'me too' doesn't sound completely right to me.

I don't think it's possible to give a'correct' short form; if I were thinking at all, I'd give the full, " I can hardly see him, either". In casual conversation, I suspect we might hear any of these:

Neither can I; me neither; me too.

 

[allenman]

To me, by saying "neither can I" -- the speaker is agreeing that the man can't be seen but we just found out that the first speaker does indeed see the man. So it is confusing!

But is it totally wrong? No. This is probably what you'd hear between two speakers..I think that they would understand each other if they were next to each other.

What would I have said as the second speaker? "Same here..."

Not a teacher - AmE native