"Never have no"

[AcingSchool]

Hello,

I was wondering how to use the following combination of words: "Never have no".
As I understood this basically means: "have".
For example: I never have no idea what team to choose at soccer practice.
Does this mean that I would have an idea, or that I do not?
As Google translate states that this would mean that I would actually not have any idea which team to choose.
Although it seems that the word 'never' would cancel out the word 'no', is this correct or not?

Thank you in advance.

 

[teechar]

Hello AcingSchool, and welcome to the forum.
That combination of words involves a double negative, which you should generally avoid.

I never have [STRIKE]no[/STRIKE] any idea what team to choose at soccer practice.

You can read further about double negatives in the links below.

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/grammar/double-negatives
http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2012/02/grammar-myths-3/

If you still need help on this, post below.

 

[emsr2d2]

Effectively, "I never have no idea what team to choose" means "I always have at least some idea what team to choose". It's an awkward construction, though, and it will leave even native speakers hesitating for a few moments while they try to work out what you mean. I'd avoid the construction.

Edit: I hadn't seen teechar's post when I wrote mine. Be aware that "I never have no idea what team to choose" does not mean the same as teechar's "I never have any idea what team to choose". To avoid the double negative but retain the meaning, you would have to use "I always have some idea what team to choose".

 

[SoothingDave]

Logically, the double negatives cancel each other out. However, language in use by native speakers doesn't always follow logic. Many use the double negative to accentuate the meaning, rather than to cancel each other out.

"I can't get no satisfaction" sang Mick Jagger. He "could not get any satisfaction" is what he meant.

It is best to avoid the double negative.

 

[bubbha]

Double negatives, as in "I can't get no satisfaction", are often used in colloquial speech in "lower-class" dialects of English.

It is best if learners avoid using such constructions.