not five miles from the coast

[Mary23]

Hi
I'm working on this text and I want to translate it but I have problem understanding some parts of it
I'm just not sure of the role of "not" here
What does it mean exactly that it's "not five miles from the coast"?!


The earliest recorded reference to the town was made in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle of 656 and listed Wisbech as a small settlement "not five miles from the coast".

 

[GoesStation]

Welcome to the forum, Mary23. :hi:

Please note that I have changed your thread title.

Extract from the Posting Guidelines:

"Thread titles should include all or part of the word/phrase being discussed."

 

[Tarheel]

The phrase "not five miles from the coast" means to me that the place is less than five miles from the coast.

 

[GoesStation]

What does it mean exactly that it's "not five miles from the coast"? [STRIKE]![/STRIKE]

It's less than five miles from the shore.

 

[Tdol]

And probably somewhere between four and five miles from the coast. You wouldn't say it if it were one mile from the coast.

 

[Tarheel]

Absolutely! If something less than five miles from the coast it is somewhat inland and definitely not right on the shoreline.